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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23449828">The Elite</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HadesLee/pseuds/HadesLee'>HadesLee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>B.A.P, Big Bang (Band), EXO (Band), K-pop</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Byun Baekhyun is Bad at Feelings, Everyone Is Gay, High School, International Fanworks Day 2021, M/M, Park Chanyeol Is a Tease, Poor guys, Sassy Kwon Jiyong | G-Dragon, Top Bang Yongguk, elite, himchan is a diva, rich guys, seungri is softie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:13:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>87,701</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23449828</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HadesLee/pseuds/HadesLee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The world was always divided and things weren’t always black and white. Everyone knew that it was quite the unspoken rule of this world, a world where divided things often stayed divided. However, sometimes worlds collided and mixed resulting in conflicts, as expected. The world we are living in is divided and society is growing more toxic by the day. There was always an invisible barrier that separated these worlds. Everyone knew that they shouldn’t collide but sometimes the inevitable happened.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bang Yongguk/Kim Himchan, Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Kwon Jiyong | G-Dragon/Lee Seunghyun | Seungri</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello? <br/>This happened while watching too many episodes of Elite, being quarantined and horny lol<br/>hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think and whether or not I should continue this.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>               The world was always divided and things weren’t always black and white. Everyone knew that it was quite the unspoken rule of this world, a world where divided things often stayed divided. However, sometimes worlds collided and mixed resulting in conflicts, as expected. The world we are living in is divided and society is growing more toxic by the day. There was always an invisible barrier that separated these worlds. Everyone knew that they shouldn’t collide but sometimes the inevitable happened.</p><p>*</p><p>It was supposed to be an ordinary Friday in the beautiful yet busy South Korean capital. It was a spring day, a warm one and things were quite boring for the most part, especially if you were a high school student. It was close to 1 PM and just about everyone was ready to go home already and forget about school, at least until Monday morning. While some students were already home –bastards-, some were still stuck there because their teachers thought it would be a good idea to do some extra work. Torturers, they were fucking torturers. Everyone stuck there thought the same thing, with the exception maybe of a few nerds and suck-ups who loved being there –or maybe they just pretended to.</p><p>It was silence in the classroom, only the sound of the teacher’s ramblings combined with the sound of chalk writing on the blackboard could be heard. Some students were writing, following along –though lazily- to the ramblings of the 50-something mathematics teacher. Others were just looking at the blackboard with spite in their eyes and no intention of ever writing that shit down. Some –especially those in the back- were either napping or snoozing lightly or even eating. No one was paying too much attention.</p><p>Then, out of nowhere, a loud sound made the teacher stop writing and the students all raise their heads in wonder. The sound was very loud and sounded like something heavy had hit the ground from a considerable height. Another sound was heard immediately after, but closer. The last boom was very loud and strong enough that it moved the whole room. By this time, everyone realized something wrong had happened. The students were looking at each other –and at their teacher- confused. They didn’t have time to really process everything as the classroom door opened revealing a tall man.</p><p>“There’s been an explosion!” he announced with a calm yet serious tone. “Please gather your stuff as quickly as possible and follow me to the exit,” he instructed in the same calm matter.</p><p>A murmur of sounds was head next as the students rushed to do what they were instructed. Some were calm; some had a faint smile on their face –that ‘yey-the-school-finally-burnt’ kind of smile-, while others were completely mortified by the situation.</p><p>A series of loud booms were heard again as the students rushed out, followed closely by their middle-aged teacher and the tall man –who happened to be the new English teacher. They got out just in time as another wing of the massive high school building exploded. The building was engulfed by fire in mere minutes.</p><p>Gas leak. That was the official cause of fire given by the chief of the firefighters. The building burnt to smithereens, there was almost nothing left to recover from it. The incident –as it was classed –as a grave one with casualties ranging to millions of Won.</p><p>The fire affected about 1000 students. Without school, there was no place of education but solutions were found fast. Students were relocated to other schools from the city. That resulted in the overcrowding of schools but for the moment it was the only solution. Some students were relocated; others were luckier –or possibly not.</p><p>*</p><p>“You should be thankful for such an opportunity; there are others who have it much worse than you!” the forty-something-year-old women said towards her teenaged son and his two friends. “You should all pray and thank God!” she continued, smiling. One of his son’s friends rolled his eyes but thankfully she didn’t notice.</p><p>“Okay mom, we will,” the boy said as he took the tray with cookies from her arms and rushed towards his room along with his friends.</p><p>“Thank you for the cookies Mrs. Byun!” the two other boys said in unison showing their politeness.</p><p>The door to the teenager’s room closed with a thud. The tray of cookies was placed on a small table in the middle of the room but no one touched a cookie just yet. The almond haired individual sat on the bed with a sigh, glaring at the school uniform –the new school uniform- that was hung on the door to his wardrobe.</p><p>“Thank you God for putting us in hell,” one of the guys said in a mocking voice, rolling his eyes and doing a cross sign –mockingly, as well. The teenager on the bed shifted his gaze towards him, giving him the same unfriendly look.</p><p>“Maybe it won’t be that bad,” the other one, a teenager sporting a glorious raven hair said while taking a bite of one of the cookies.</p><p>“Oh it will,” came the dreadful tone of the thin teenager beside him. “I know some of those rich guys and they’re all assholes.”</p><p>“We’re doomed,” Baekhyun, the one on the bed groaned.</p><p>Byun Baekhyun is a rather normal teenager. He’s 17, he likes playing games on the computer, hanging out with his friends and going to church. The last thing is rather mandatory as he is the son of a renowned catholic preacher. His whole family is very religious and quite strict when it comes to discipline so the teenager lacks the rowdiness of typical teenaged boys. He’s a good kid, smart and cute as a button. His almond hair is always soft, his hazel eyes always bright and pink lips always so kissable –not that he ever tried using them for that thing. He’s innocent and down to earth and very smart being the top of his class at his last school. His friends are Kim Himchan and Lee Seunghyun, both 17 and polar opposites of him.</p><p>Lee Seunghyun, Seungri, was 17 as well and was the flirt of the group. His dark locks, alluring eyes, and strawberry lips brought him tons of admirers of both genders. He was one of the most popular guys in school, tried a bunch of sports but settled on swimming and loved attending and throwing amazing parties. He was way more rebellious than Baekhyun, got in trouble more often than anyone in the group but he always resolved his problems due to his charming smile, his words, and a shit-eating grin. He was a playboy and he knew it. He met Baekhyun when they were in kindergarten and since then they were inseparable. Though it was hard to believe the two would get along, they always hung out and cared for each other.</p><p>The last one that completed this formidable trio was Kim Himchan, the diva. 17, thin, handsome and with a formidable collection of clothes –and Gucci belts, Himchan seemed to have it all. He was by far one of the most desired guys at his school; he was handsome, like a model and many did wonder if he was a rookie in one of the many entertainment companies. The truth is that he tried but failed to enter such companies. Still, he was a charmer and used his skills to make his life a bit spicier. He was by far the wildest of the three, always doing something scandalous. Though he was a good guy when it came to his family and friends, you wouldn’t want to get on his bad side because this kitty had a very nasty bite. He and Baekhyun met at the start of high school, two years ago and instantly became friends despite their differences. Baekhyun still gets mortified whenever Himchan mentioned something he had done –like God forbid, smoking weed- but they learned to cope with it by now.</p><p>The three were part of the students whose school burned down and for about a week they waited to be relocated to another school.</p><p>Still, something incredible happened, something that would most likely change their lives forever. There was a lot of talk and gossip about the director of the gas company that supplied the school. People started blaming him about the incident and that caused an uproar of bad publicity headed his way. In order to appall the revolted parents, he announced a special prize containing three fully paid scholarships at one of the most prestigious private schools of the country, the Kwon Institute. The scholarships would be given randomly to three students.</p><p>A day later it was announced that the scholarships were granted towards Baekhyun, Himchan and Seungri, <em>the unholy trinity</em>. At first, the guys were in total shock and didn’t know how to react, despite their families freaking out –in a good way- about the whole ordeal. It was only a few hours later that they analyzed the situation and they weren’t as happy as their parents about the whole thing. The Kwon Institute was a prestigious all-boys private school, the kind of school that only the rich and famous attended; assholes in Himchan’s opinion. The institute was probably filled with stuck up ingrates that never had to work a day in their lives. The three weren’t as happy to attend as everyone.</p><p>You see, they weren’t rich; they were all modest –barely. It was Seungri’s family that had to it worst but neither of the three was doing too good, financially speaking. Sure, they all had clothes to wear and food on their table but that’s because they were busting their bum working part-time jobs that no one wanted. Himchan worked at Sephora for a meager salary and did all kinds of chores in his free time, Seungri babysat, walked dogs and worked at a local coffee shop while Baekhyun helped as much as he could at the church and tutored the less smart kids in order to get by. All of their families were struggling so, of course, this opportunity was great for the adults since they didn’t have to pay for anything else, but not for the kids.</p><p>Why weren’t they excited? It was simple. The rich and the poor never mixed, and when they did usually catastrophe struck. The barrier between two worlds was about to be broken and only time can tell what will happen to the three guys. Certainly, their lives would change forever.</p><p>***</p><p>
  <strong>Many Months Later</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>The door to the room opened with a loud squeak and then closed a few moments later. A tall, young individual entered, accompanied by a police officer. The room was dimly lit and cold. The chair on which the teenager sat felt like ice against his skin, causing him to shudder. In front of him, there was a serious-looking woman, ogling at him, trying to find something that would indicate guilt –he was sure of it. The only things she noticed were the bags under his eyes and how red they were –from all the tears. She also noticed how bruised his hands were. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Park Chanyeol,” she said with a cold smile. “Wanna tell me why you tried to murder Byun Baekhyun?” </em>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Monday morning came all too quickly for the three who just barely got used to the idea of studying at the prestigious institute. The all-boys private school was waiting for them, there was no going back, but neither of them was too excited about this ordeal. Still, they kept their mouth shut about it, unlike their parents who just couldn’t stop talking. Yes, it was a great opportunity and on top of everything, it was free.</p><p>“You look so handsome,” Baekhyun’s mother smiled towards her son as he came out of his room, dressed in the school uniform.</p><p>All students of the Kwon Institute must wear the established uniform; there were no exceptions. The clothes weren’t half bad and they were good quality –of course, rich kids won’t wear rags. The uniform was composed of a pair of black pants, a white cotton shirt and a black blazer that had the logo of the high school, a dragon, printed on the chest area.</p><p>Baekhyun smiled, he also thought he looked good in it and was surprised to find out that the uniform fits perfectly. He thanked her and then joined her and his father at the breakfast table. He wanted to dig in, but they had to do their morning prayers before enjoying the delicious food. Living in such a religious family wasn’t bad but it wasn’t the best time either. His parents were loving and caring, he did not lack that but all those talks about God were not his cup of tea, not in the morning when he wanted to eat.</p><p>He got strong word of encouragement from both of his parents but it was his father who warned him of the so-called hooligans and devil-worshipers that walked among them, advising Baekhyun not to meddle with any of those people. Baekhyun just nodded and smiled, though in the back of his mind he was rolling his eyes. <em>The entire school is full of rich stuck-up kids, I will sure not meddle with any of them. </em></p><p>He met with his friends after breakfast and the three rode the bus together towards the school, each talking and sharing opinions about the uniform. Himchan seemed to be the only one who hated it since he couldn’t add his personal touch to it and that he didn’t want to look like everyone else. Seungri pointed out that it was better if they blend in, rather than stand out but Himchan wasn’t very satisfied and kept complaining about it on the way.</p><p>The school was located, no wonder, in the richest neighborhoods of the city, thriving among luxurious villas and businesses. It was a grand building, built in the style of western universities, with many wings, lots of rooms and many twisted hallways. That and the fact that it was sitting on a hill made her almost frightening.</p><p>The boys got off the bus and then continued to their new school; their new beginning. They climbed the stairs leading to the main entrance and then slowly walked inside. As expected, as soon as they stepped inside, all eyes were on them. It was like they were the main attraction in a museum; like there was a spotlight on them and it didn’t feel too good. They just entered another world, the world of the rich and judging by the first looks they got, there won’t be a very warm welcome.</p><p>“God bless us all,” Himchan said, looking at his two friends. Both Baekhyun and Seungri stood there, a bit frozen and star-struck.</p><p>Almost out of nowhere, a man appeared in front of them, smiling warmly. He was about their parents’ age, and a teacher or some other authorial figure. He extended his right hand towards the boys and presented himself, he was Mr. Park, the director of the school. The boys all shook his hand and smiled back at him.</p><p>“Welcome to Kwon Institute,” the man said with a strong, deep voice. “Let’s take a tour so you’ll familiarise yourself with the school.”</p><p>And so the tour of the new school started. The principal started with a brief history of the school as he walked the boys through the fabulous school. Everything looks the same after all a school was. What differentiated it from other schools was the huge pool and the multiple football, basketball and tennis courts. At the same time, the school had its own mini-restaurant and a huge library. It seemed more like a hotel than a prestigious school. The looks the boys got haven’t stopped, everyone stared at them.</p><p>At the end of the tour, the nice principal gave the boys their locker room keys and their timetables. Then, he shook their hands one more time before parting ways. The boys checked their timetables and were happy to find out that they had the first class of the day together, English. They quickly headed there and knocked on the door of their first class. They were greeted by a fairly young-looking teacher that –with the broadest, shiniest smile- told them to enter confidently.</p><p>As soon as they entered, the same thing as before happened, as all eyes were directed towards them. Some of the looks were natural while others were spiteful glares. They tried not to mind them, but Himchan couldn’t help but stare back at a few individuals. The professor quickly explained the situation and then, he encouraged them to introduce themselves to new colleagues. The boys did as they were asked, but shyly and awkwardly causing snickers and chuckles to erupt from the back of the class.</p><p>The three went to their assigned seats and the class continued. The professor wanted to see the level the guys are at so he quickly assigned one of them, Baekhyun, to read a portion of the text that they were analyzing. Baekhyun took a deep breath and then began reading, and again the whole classroom stared at him but this time for another reason. He was always good with languages, and he loved English; he read the whole passage perfectly. When he finished, the professor clapped and congratulated him.</p><p>“Very good! You could tutor half of the guys around here,” the professor said with a smile. “Did you hear that, Chanyeol?”</p><p>“Impressive,” the one named Chanyeol mockingly stood up and clapped. “Do you want an award, as well?” he asked, his gaze fixated on the now blushing Baekhyun.</p><p>“Sit down, Chanyeol,” the professor said, rather amused by the youngster’s rude behavior.</p><p>Baekhyun didn’t know who the guy was but he surely made the worst impression on him. Actually, the tall boy was Park Chanyeol, a 17-year-old boy and the son of the principal, the man whom the three had met earlier. He was tall and had an ego as big as ever. He had beautiful hazel eyes, a very well defined nose, strong cheekbones and a jawline to match. Add to that a perfect pair of the cutest dimples and thick lips and you’ve got yourself quite a specimen. He knew he was handsome and that made him quite arrogant.</p><p>The class went on without further incidents but the glares continued, not that the guys cared. The three separated afterward, each going to their designated classes as the days continued on. There were unfriendly looks everywhere but the guys didn’t mind them much as they were focused on their studies; after all, they were here to study, not to make friends. The three texted all the time, mostly during breaks, sharing opinions and thoughts on their group chat. Then, they met again during the lunch hour. Students here had a whole hour in which they could eat and do absolutely nothing, compared to that measly 20 minutes break they got at their old school. However, the food prices at the mini-restaurant were way over their budgets. They settled on sandwiches and a few fruits, enough to keep them satisfied until they got home.</p><p>*</p><p>Himchan picked up an apple to go along with his yogurt and turned around to join his friends at a table when the unthinkable happened. Another student crossed his path, causing Himchan to bump into him and to drop the apple from the tray.</p><p>“Watch where you’re going, peasant,” the taller guy, with jet black hair and a mean look upon his face said with a voice so deep that Himchan thought it came from Hades himself. He then began to laugh as Himchan picked up his apple, biting his tongue in the process in order not to stoop at the other’s level.</p><p>Without a word or another glance, Himchan rushed towards the table while a thunder of laughs could be heard behind him. He was visibly distraught by this but kept his cool, plotting his revenge. He spent nice quality time with his friends, talking about his day but avoiding what just happened. In the back of his mind, he already had a plan on how to get back to the nasty individual because no one messes with Kim Himchan.</p><p>About forty minutes later, when he saw that asshole get up from the table, he got up as well. Seungri and Baekhyun tried to stop him from doing anything stupid but there was no stopping hurricane Himchan. Soon, he had arrived again in front of that individual but this time he will not let himself be trampled. It all happened so fast that the guy didn’t know what hit him but as soon as he realized that Himchan purposely threw his tray towards him, his leftovers landing on his trousers straining them, he went mad.</p><p>“Watch where you’re going, rich boy,” Himchan said, a smirk growing on his lips. He then turned around and confidently left, causing the whole room to fall silent.</p><p>Himchan didn’t realize it but he just crossed paths –and possibly made an enemy- with Bang Yongguk. He was a typical rowdy 17-year old that had a softer side which almost no one knew about. He was quick-tempered, meaning that the little stunt that Himchan pulled earlier made his blood boil. As for his looks, he was undeniably handsome with a long neck, soft plump lips, and deep dark eyes; he was that kind of charming boy no one stood a chance against, especially when he smiled, flashing his adorable gummy smile.</p><p>Himchan went to the bathroom and a few moments later, Yongguk followed him. The diva was immediately pushed to a nearby wall as one of Yongguk’s strong hands wrapped around his neck, slowly pushing on the slender man’s windpipe. His glare on Himchan could only be described as psychotic; he was ready to kill. Himchan wasn’t scared, he just found it hard to breathe.</p><p>“Who the hell do you think you are?” Yongguk’s voice pierced through the younger’s ears. “You’ll pay!”</p><p>“Please take your filthy hands off my neck while I am asking nicely,” Himchan said in a similar dark voice, his eyes staring back at Yongguk. “Unless you want my knee to meet your balls,” he added, smirking. His knee was indeed positioned perfectly in direction of Yongguk’s family jewels.</p><p>Yongguk didn’t say anything but after a few seconds, he released the grip around Himchan’s neck. He glared at the slander man for a few moments before he turned around, obviously with a hurt ego.</p><p>“By the way, I’m Kim Himchan and you really don’t want to mess with me,” Himchan said, exiting the bathroom. Yongguk watched as the slander left, smirking.</p><p>“Nice to meet you,” he murmured.</p><p>
  <strong>*</strong>
</p><p>Seungri loved swimming so he was obviously thrilled when he saw the Olympic sized pool that the school had and wondered if the school had a swim team. The principal was kind enough to tell him that he should speak with the captain of the team after classes and that’s where the young guy was headed now. The pool was magnificent and the waters looked just right for a swim.</p><p>Seungri noticed someone was there, a guy that seemed to be doing his usual warm-ups. He approached slowly, unsure of what to say or do. However, before he could speak, the guy turned around and noticed the guy staring at him.</p><p>“What the hell are you doing here?” the brunet asked in an unfriendly tone. Seungri bit his bottom lip before answering.</p><p>“I…I was wondering…where I could find the captain of the s-swim team…”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“I…I wish to j-join the team and wondered if there are any free spots…”</p><p>“Wow,” the guy started laughing like Seungri just told the funniest joke. “You think we’d accept everyone here?” he asked in a mocking tone.</p><p>“I…well…” Seungri sighed. Words were not cooperating with him today. “Are you the captain?”</p><p>“Maybe. Do you have your swimsuit with you?”</p><p>“N-no…”</p><p>“Than what the hell are you even doing here?” the guy yelled at Seungri once again, his voice echoing through the empty room.</p><p>Seungri didn’t say anything; he just turned around and was ready to leave. He actually had tears in his eyes; he never imagined he would be this humiliated at school. The rude guy then sighed and shook his head, then called out for the other.</p><p>“Wait…” he said and Seungri stopped and turned around. “Our team is kind of complete but I’m willing to do some adjustments if you’re good enough. Tell you what, let’s have a race. If you manage to swim faster than me, you’re in the team, deal?” the teenager spoke fast and Seungri could barely register what he was saying. “There are clean speedos in the back if you’re interested.”</p><p>Seungri nodded and quickly went to change, wondering what made the rude guy change his mind. He didn’t know it then but the rude guy was the one and only Kwon Jiyong, a 17-year-old teenager and the son of the one who built the school. He was the richest and most popular guy in school, a total playboy. His ego was as big as his popularity and he wasn’t afraid to be blunt when he needed it. He was a handsome young man, with model-like features, sharp eyes and a cute nose and lips to match; everyone wanted to befriend him but he was very picky when it came to his squad.</p><p>By the time Seungri came back, Jiyong was ready as well. He was the fastest swimmer at the school, there was no way the poor doe-eyed boy was going to win this. A few moments later, they started and Jiyong was the one who took the lead for a few moments. Seungri’s determination pushed him further he only focused on winning and showing this brat that he could swim better than him. Seungri didn’t realize he had won until he touched the edge of the pool at the end of the last lap, he beat Jiyong with at least a 2-second lead. Jiyong was absolutely stunned; no one in the team was as fast as he was.</p><p>“See you at practice?” Seungri said, now more confident in his own skills. Jiyong watched him with wide eyes as he got out of the pool and headed back to the changing rooms.</p><p>“Wow…” was all Jiyong could say, partly jealous, partly impressed.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What do you think?<br/>A comment would be great :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>he opulent villa of the Kwon family stands above all others in the luxury neighborhood. It was bigger, more beautiful and more luxurious than all the others. There is even an urban legend that you would lose yourself through the twisted corridors that connect the over 20 rooms. In fact, the villa has only 7 rooms, three bathrooms, a huge kitchen, an office where Mr. Kwon can carry out his activity and a game room specially made for the family's little man, Jiyong. At the same time, the villa also has a beautiful garden with roses – with varieties imported from all corners of the world-, an indoor swimming pool, and a mini-golf course. In short, the villa has everything you want and is decorated in the most expensive way possible. Paintings, statuettes and other works of art are found throughout the villa, showing the family's love for art. They also love cars, being the owners of three Lamborghinis and other luxury cars.</p><p>Modesty seems to have no place, especially when we talk about this family. For them there is all or nothing; there’s no in-between. The multiple businesses run by Mr. Kwon fill the pockets - and the egos - of each member of this family.</p><p>The sleek white Bentley that belonged to Jiyong stopped in front of the house and from it, a very angry-looking Jiyong got down. He slammed the car’s door and headed inside immediately. You could tell by his walk –his entire demeanour actually- that he was pretty pissed off. He entered the house, being greeted by one of the house’s maids, an elderly woman that was usually very sweet towards him.</p><p>“Where’s my father?” Jiyong asked, in a very cold tone. He wasn’t usually so impolite but right now he was too pissed off to care.</p><p>“His office, but he said he didn’t want to be disturbed.”</p><p>Jiyong nodded and headed there immediately. He was really bothered by something and by the looks of it; it was really serious since he had tears in his eyes. The younger was always a tough individual, even from a young age so it was no normal to see him cry or displaying any weakness –or emotion really. Many people at the school respected him but they were also quite afraid of him and that was because of his piercing stare. He wasn’t the friendliest of individuals and people had a hard time actually befriending him. Still, once he was your friend, you discovered another side of him, one that you would never imagine. He was a caring kid and had a big heart but only towards those who helped him as well.</p><p>“What the hell were you thinking?” he yelled, as soon as he slammed open the doors to his father’s office. “Why did you do it?” he continued yelling as he approached his father’s desk. Mr. Kwon was a very authoritative man and never accepted someone talking back at him, especially his son.</p><p>“I suggest you calm your tone, Jiyong, before there will be consequences,” he spoke calmly yet with a firm tone. He closed his laptop and looked at his son –who was still fuming. “What did I do?”</p><p>“You know damn well!” Jiyong’s tone was still nasty but he lowered his voice just a bit, he knew very well he shouldn’t rebel against his father; it never ended well. “Why did you let those paupers into our school? Among us?”</p><p>“I had a deal with Bang HyunMin so when he asked for the favor, I couldn’t say no. I am sure that three students won’t cause such uproar. You’re overreacting, like always.”</p><p>“Did you forget what happened to Dami?” Jiyong asked, with his voice cracking and his eyes full of tears. “Do you want history to repeat itself?”</p><p>“Get out of my office!” his father said with a loud and angry tone. The subject was and it will always be hard for him. He glared at Jiyong one more time before he slammed his hands to the desk. “Get the fuck out!” he yelled, getting up from the desk. Jiyong turned around and left, tears streaming down his face.</p><p>*</p><p>Music blasted in the speakers located around the room where the three teenagers spent their time. Two of them were playing with the new racing game on the latest generation console, while one of them was looking at them and scrolled on his phone. The two were very interested in the game, they played against each other and neither wanted to lose.</p><p>“Fuck yeah!” the taller of the two said proudly as the flat-screen TV displayed his name on the screen, the winner of the race. “You are fucked, Yonggukkie!”</p><p>“Go suck a dick, Yeolly!” Yongguk replied to Chanyeol’s words in the same way. Then, the two started laughing loudly. Meanwhile, Jiyong just stood there on a beanbag chair and seemed totally out of it.</p><p>It was obvious that the three of the richest guys in school would be friends, right? Jiyong, Chanyeol, and Yongguk were friends since kindergarten times; at this point, they were more like brothers to each other. They did everything together; they talked about everything and got along very well. They always hung out together –mostly at Jiyong’s place- and did all kinds of stupid teenager shit together. They were inseparable.</p><p>Bang Yongguk is the only son of billionaire Bang HyunMin. The wealth of his father - though incomparable to that of the Kwon family - has made this young, quiet and often brooding man easily one of the most popular pupils. The Bang family made a fortune from gas, with HyunMin monopolizing the entire market and holding control over all gas networks in South Korea. HyunMin is a very passionate man, a man with immense power and ego. Unfortunately - or not - Yongguk did not inherit his passion for money and power but instead his ego and temper.</p><p>The Bang family home is close to that of the Kwon family, as well as opulent and lush. The main difference is in the number of rooms. Otherwise, the houses are very similar, from the design to the works of art. Any rich man must invest in works of art, that's the opinion of HyunMin.</p><p>Many consider Yongguk a small genius. Yongguk loves art, especially painting and music, which is why the Bang family house has an art studio, where Yongguk often paints, and a music studio where he composes. His biggest dream is to become a composer for one of the famous South Korean record companies.</p><p>Last but not least, Park Chanyeol is a little devil. Chanyeol is a rebellious kid, who would rather take a ride around the city in his motorbike than read a book. He is the son of the director of the Kwon Institute and a secretary of state. In his family, his mother is the one who made the fortune and at the same time the one who controls it. He respects and loves his mother more than anything.</p><p>Chanyeol has a strong personality, is very selfish and does not accept losing. He likes to do just what he wants and doesn't listen to anyone except his mother. Chanyeol is often the most spoiled. He is the only one who lives alone. He has a penthouse, in the richest South Korean neighborhood, a gift from his mother on the occasion of his 16th birthday. At 17 he received a motorbike, his one true love.</p><p>His entire apartment is dreamlike, stylishly decorated and equipped with all the utilities that anyone needs. Of course, he does not cook, wash and certainly does not clean; he has a whole crew that deals with it.</p><p>“Going out for a smoke,” Jiyong announced as he got up from where he was sitting. His two friends looked at each other and immediately knew something was wrong. All three of them smoked, it was a habit they picked up at school and that stayed with them despite their parents opposing. Yongguk was by far the heaviest smoker while the other two could last days without smoking; Jiyong only smoked when he was under stress.</p><p>“I need a cigar as well; I deserve it after how well I fucked you up, right Guk?” Chanyeol said, following Jiyong out the door.</p><p>“Say that again and I’ll show you what a real fuck feels like,” Yongguk warned, his deep voice sounding through the empty hallway.</p><p>The three went to a balcony and soon, they were all puffing smoke each from their individual cigars. It was clear that Jiyong had something on his chest, he was smoking way to fast and too angrily and his two friends noticed; they knew him better than anyone.</p><p>“Why the long face?” Chanyeol asked. Jiyong turned around, facing his friends and sighed.</p><p>“I fought with my dad,” Jiyong began, while still puffing from his cigar. “I can’t believe he would allow those…peasants…to come to school…”</p><p>“Oh,” Yongguk said, remembering the incident with that Kim Himchan individual. “What about them?”</p><p>“It’s like he forgot what happened to Dami!”Jiyong exclaimed and again, his two friends looked at each other. What happened to Dami –Jiyong’s late older sister- was still a taboo subject that Jiyong didn’t like to discuss.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Yongguk said after a few moments. “It’s my father who proposed such a thing; they blamed him from the gas leak that caused that school to explode…”</p><p>“And it was my father who supported the idea,” Chanyeol said, rolling his eyes. “It’s only one year…”</p><p>“Hopefully,” Jiyong sighed deeply.</p><p>The three started sharing opinions about the three guys, with Yongguk being the most vocal one since Himchan pissed him off the most. Chanyeol wasn’t fond of Baekhyun either and though Jiyong seemed impressed with Seungri’s skills at first, now he was jealous and regretted offering the younger a spot on the team.  </p><p>Next, they searched them on various social media platforms and it didn’t take long to find them. They scrolled through the pages, laughed at their pictures and undoubtedly found more about each of the boys. After a while, they got bored and started talking about girls and other interesting things that were happening in their lives.</p><p>“I want to make their lives a living hell,” Jiyong declared as he was killing the cigar in the ashtray. The smirk on his face meant that he was totally serious. “And you two are going to help me.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What do you think? Comment below!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>L</strong>ife is unfair, Seungri thought. While some pamper themselves with villas, luxury cars, and lavish parties, others struggle to have what they put on the table. It's a huge difference between the rich and the poor, a discrepancy that is hard to describe but that is the reality we live in. Life threw curveballs at you and just when you thought that everything is going well something happens that leaves you completely speechless. Seungri has never had an easy life, but he has always learned to cope and to deal with hard times. His family was never rich but unlike other families, they were united and that mattered more than the money. He loves his family and is able to do everything for them to be good. He has always been a good child, being very protective of his younger sister, Hanna. His life took a strange turn two years ago when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. That day was the darkest day of his life. It was a shock to the whole family, and a time when everything changed.</p><p>The life of a teenager is not easy at all. Moreover, it can be quite tumultuous and shocking. Adolescence is the period of life in which each body changes, the period when children are preparing to become adults and any small thing can have dramatic consequences. Adolescents are very vulnerable, especially to change. With so many changes happening around them, they can feel overwhelmed.</p><p>This is how he felt, overwhelmed by the whole situation. At first, it was ensured that everything would be fine, the cancer was detected at an early stage and could be eliminated with a simple but costly operation. The family struggled but they managed to collect the necessary amount and his mother had the operation but the pain just started. The operation was successful but after only six months, cancer returned, stronger and more destructive than ever. There were other doctor visits, expensive treatments and a lot of money spent. Now his mother is in a stable condition, the drugs keep cancer under control. The cost of drugs is extremely high and the family could afford something else.</p><p>His mother stopped working and his father's salary - although good enough- was too small to cover all the costs. Hanna also offered to help but was only 13 years old and no one in the area wanted to hire her. Seungri felt the need to do something. He had been working part-time for almost a year in a restaurant in his area, but his salary was too low to make a difference. Of course, he helped his family as much as he could but he wanted to do it more. At one point he wanted to quit school focus entirely on work but his parents forbade him. He was a good student and the grades will help him get a better job in the future; there’s no need to ruin his future.</p><p>The restaurant he worked for was located near a lake and often, during breaks he loved walking near the shore or on the little docks. He used to stay there for his whole break and just think about life; it relaxed him. Right now he was on the docks as well but he was waiting for his best friend as they had an important meeting scheduled.</p><p>“Hi, stranger,” Himchan’s voice came from behind him, startling him just a bit. He turned around and greeted his friend with a big hug. “You sure are happy to see me,” Himchan laughed, hugging his friend.</p><p>“You know I love you,” Seungri said, showing his charming smile. Himchan chuckled.</p><p>“I know but I’m sure you love this more,” the slanderer of the two said while giving the other a small paper bag. “This is higher quality stuff so you should sell it for more money. Got it?” Himchan asked his voice low.</p><p>“That means more money,” Seungri said, clearly happy about this. “Thanks.”</p><p>“Always a pleasure doing business with you,” Himchan smirked. “Wanna hang out tonight? My parents are at work and I don’t want to spend Saturday night alone.”</p><p>“Yup sounds good,” Seungri said with a smile. “I’ll call you after work.”</p><p>“Great! I’ll see if Mother Theresa wants to join,” Himchan said, laughing. That was his nickname for Baekhyun. “Have a good day, babe, and be careful.”</p><p>“I will,” Seungri smiled as he hugged his friend goodbye.</p><p>Seungri then went back to the restaurant and hid the bag in his own locker, and then he went back to work as if nothing happened; as if he didn’t have a full stash of weed stuffed in his locker. It all began a few months ago when a slightly intoxicated Himchan revealed a few secrets to him. Kim Himchan was a drug dealer.</p><p>Himchan was always a different kid, a rebellious one that loved living on the edge but Seungri never imagined that he would actually do something like this. Still, it was all very real and Seungri became very curious about his friends’ nightly activities, especially after he saw how much money he made. Himchan always had nice stuff, despite his family struggling financially and Seungri always wondered how he got them; now he had the answer.</p><p>Curiosity and need of money made Seungri really receptive to what Himchan said and despite the risks; he asked Himchan if he could join in too on the deal. Himchan was reluctant but knew the situation in which Seungri was and decided to help him. He lets Seungri deal with simpler stuff like the weed while he handles more serious stuff like cocaine and ecstasy. It was a dangerous lifestyle but the money they made was very good. For now, it was the only solution.</p><p>*</p><p>Around 8 PM, Himchan opened the door to his humble house to his two best friends, Seungri and Baekhyun. The unholy trinity was reunited and tonight they all wanted to relax and unwind. It was a tough week, full of difficulties for the boys. None of the three felt very welcome at the new school. The unfriendly glances and whispers behind his back continued throughout the week; none of them adapted too well. Fortunately, there were no conflicts but it was just a matter of time until someone says something and all hell breaks loose. Tonight it’s all about them, all about forgetting about the accumulated stress and about unwinding. They just want to talk and hang out, as friends do.</p><p>Himchan ordered pizza, Seungri bought snacks from the restaurant and Baekhyun went to the store and brought drinks for them –soft drinks, of course, because he is a good Christian boy. A night of fun was in store for them.</p><p>“My parents are divorcing…” Himchan said all of a sudden, surprising both Baekhyun and Seungri. They were just about to watch a movie.</p><p>For Himchan, the family has always been a slightly taboo subject. While his friends were enjoying united and loving families, Himchan had a family that was falling apart. He never felt wanted. He may be exaggerating, but he always thought his parents didn't want him and that he was just a burden. He has never felt the love from his parents, and honestly, he can't even remember the last time his own mother hugged him.</p><p>They didn’t care about him. They didn’t care whether or not he ate, where he slept or how he’s doing. All they cared about was their alcohol. They were alcoholics, both of them. They spent most of their day drinking and when they were not drinking, they were arguing about everything. There were many times when Himchan was caught in their verbal crossfire and it wasn’t pretty; they ended up blaming him for everything.</p><p>“What?” both of his friends asked in shock. They knew of his family’s problems but they never imagined something like that.</p><p>“They argued today and it got pretty intense,” Himchan said with a sigh. “I don’t know what will happen but it will be shitty. I heard my dad talking about moving and taking me with him…” Himchan’s tone was a really sad one. His friends saw tears in his eyes. “I don’t want to leave…”</p><p>“You’re almost 18, you can decide with who you wanted to stay,” Seungri said with a smile. “You won’t get away from us,” he continued, taking Himchan’s hands in his own and giving them a comforting squeeze.</p><p>“Everything will be okay, you’ll see,” Baekhyun smiled as well, giving his friends a comforting hug. His hugs were the best.</p><p>The night continued on a happier note as the three always found subjects that would entertain them. They laughed, they ate and they drank but Himchan decided to spice things up a little. He always had alcohol in his house and despite him not being a fan of it, he felt like he needed something to forget about the shitty times he’s living in. So, in the middle of the movie they were watching, he excused himself and went to search for something he and his friends could consume. He shortly returned to the room, holding a bottle of cheap wine; it was better than nothing.</p><p>“Let’s drink!” Himchan said loudly and then took a sip from the wine, directly from the bottle. He then handed the bottle to Seungri who did the same. Seungri then handed the bottle to Baekhyun who simply shook his head.</p><p>“No…” Baekhyun said firmly.</p><p>“Come on Baekkie, drink with us!” Himchan encouraged him. “You won’t go to hell from just a few sips! You liked it the last time! Do it!” he continued to encourage the other to drink.</p><p>“Just a sip!” Baekhyun declared as he reluctantly took the bottle from Seungri. He slowly brought the bottle to his mouth and drank from it, frowning as the alcohol burned down his throat. The wine wasn’t bad, it was sweet and tasted really good but he still felt guilty for trying it. His family is against alcohol and he was sure that if his father hears this, he would go mad.</p><p>By the end of the night, the three boys managed to empty out the bottle of wine and even opened another. Baekhyun took a few more sips but topped as he felt the room spinning. He was the first to fall asleep while Seungri and Himchan kept drinking and talking.</p><p>*</p><p>Baekhyun opened his eyes and groaned loudly; his head was pounding. For a few moments, he couldn’t even open his eyes, the sunlight peeking through the window was way too harsh for his eyes. He blindly searched for his phone until he found it and as he checked the time, he felt his headache intensify three times. It was 10:43 in the morning, Sunday morning aka church day. The service has already begun. He promised his father that he would be there, that he would help him prepare everything he needed. He was so late.</p><p>He got out of Himchan’s house as quickly as possible and headed towards the church, running on the streets like a mad man. Judging by the looks he got upon entering the church, he even looked like a mad man. Then, he looked at his father and knew he was in trouble, his dark glare confirmed this. Even his mother glared at him but she eventually smiled when he approached her.</p><p>His father hasn’t said anything to him until they reached home. You could tell he was pissed off but he was silent and as much as Baekhyun wanted to get away with this, that didn’t happen.</p><p>“You disappointed me today,” his father started, all of a sudden. Baekhyun turned towards him and sighed deeply.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I overslept…” Baekhyun apologized, looking down. He was very sorry about what happened. “It won’t happen again.”</p><p>“I hope it won’t,” the adult said with a stern voice. “What did you do last night?”</p><p>“W-We watched movies and uhm…we talked…we laughed…” Baekhyun said in a shaky tone. His father approached him slowly.</p><p>“Is that alcohol I smell? Did you drink?”</p><p>“N-No.”</p><p>“God doesn’t tolerate liars and neither do I,” Mr. Byun said in an absolutely scary tone. “You should pay more attention to your schoolwork, not being outside with hooligans”</p><p>“I was out with my friends. They’re not hooligans.”</p><p>“Don’t talk back to me!” he glared at his son. “I want you straight home from school every day. Got it?”</p><p>“Y-Yes, dad.”</p><p>“Go to your room and ask God for forgiveness. Now!”</p><p>Baekhyun nodded and went to his room immediately, shutting the door behind him. He sat on his knees and prayed, beside the bed as tears were falling from his eyes. He didn’t even hear the buzz from his phone as his friends were texting him.</p><p>
  <strong>A Few Months Later</strong>
</p><p>                                                                                </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A few comments would be appreciated.<br/>What do you guys think?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>he second week at the new school was just beginning and the unholy trinity was not too excited to get started. They were not yet accepted, colleagues were still glaring at them and the bad words and whispers did not cease. However, the three were hopeful that everything would be fine, that their colleagues would realize that they, too, were human and that they would be left alone. They just wanted an education; they were not there to steal their money or their prosperous futures.</p><p>They missed the old school where they were more respected, where the money didn't matter. Maybe the old high school didn't have all the special programs and activities that the Kwon Institute had, but at least the students were different. Of course, it wasn't all milk and honey, there were conflicts, quarrels, and disputes but the atmosphere was different. There they were on the same level, here things are different. Snobs and stuck-ups run the school and even for the rich there is a certain hierarchy. The rich hate each other and jealousy is everywhere. Life was not easy at this school.</p><p>Another thing that the three observed was that the students of the institute are not as focused on studies as they were. Of course, they didn't have to be model students; the school was, after all, a formality they had to do. They had a luxurious future ahead of them, parents who could offer them anything and a life without any struggles. Therefore, most of them did not excel at anything; they only occupied their time with the activities offered by the school, having little interest in education.</p><p>It's not hard to be the best in the class, not as hard as the other school anyway. There, people struggled harder for grades, and the results really showed it. The three remembered the last quizzes; they were much more difficult than any other so far and they remember studying for them throughout the week. In the end when the results arrived –and obviously they all aced them- they had a sense of accomplishment bigger than before; it felt really good. Still, there was no way in hell they will slack off. They will study just like before.</p><p>It was a gloomy Monday. Dark gray clouds hovered above the city; they were so thick that the sunlight barely penetrated them. A strong wind was blowing from the north and the air smelled like rain. It was a damp, dark Monday. A storm was imminent but neither of the boys really knew the storm that was brewing especially for them.</p><p>The three had the first course of the day together and from the moment they entered the classroom, all eyes were on them. They were a bit more confident now but still, so many unfriendly looks could cause anyone to feel shy –and it did cause Baekhyun to blush just a little. Jiyong, Chanyeol, and Yongguk were also present, studying the boys’ moves carefully, smirking at each other. The first period was pretty much uneventful, except some snarky comments made by none other than Jiyong but neither of the boys really paid mind to him.</p><p>Then, the boys split up, wishing each other good luck in order to face the day with no drama. Baekhyun had English next, while Seungri headed to history and Himchan to math. Of course, Chanyeol was present in the English class as well and from the start, Baekhyun had the feeling that something was about to happen; there was this kind of weird tension in the room.</p><p>The class began and it seemed that no one gave a flying fuck about what the teacher was saying. Everyone was either on their phone, passing notes to each other or laughing obnoxiously loud and the teacher wasn’t doing anything about it. Baekhyun tried paying attention, not minding the chaos that was going on in the class. A few minutes later, the professor assigned him for a reading session as no one seemed interested enough to do it. He happily obliged, reading perfectly once again. He didn’t notice but while reading everyone stopped and looked at him. Some looks were of appraisal, others of jealousy, and some were just spiteful. Chanyeol was too checking the other out, a smirk constant on his lips. The teacher praised Baekhyun once again earning disapproving boos from the other classmates.</p><p>With the class over, Baekhyun quickly gathered his stuff and was ready to leave but a tall, dark and scary figure blocked his way just as he was about to exit the classroom. The tall, dark and scary individual –aka Chanyeol- stared down at him with a serious frown upon his lips, a frown that later turned into a devious smirk. Baekhyun looked upwards and tried being calm but how can you even manage that when a giant blocks your way.</p><p>“Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Perfect English but you’re violating school rules,” Chanyeol spoke in a serious tone, a voice that sent shivers down the shortest man’s back.</p><p>“What rules?” Baekhyun spoke, confused. His voice was slightly cracked, most likely because his heart was racing as if he just ran a marathon.</p><p>“No accessories allowed,” Chanyeol spoke in the same serious, deep voice. He was now pointing towards the rosary around the smeller’s man's neck.</p><p>Baekhyun was a good catholic and he’s been wearing a rosary since he was 10. This particular one that was wearing was a gift from his father and he rarely took it off. No one ever had a problem with it, until this guy anyway.</p><p>“It’s a rosary, not an accessory,” Baekhyun’s tone was a very serious one.</p><p>“I don’t care what it is, it breaks school’s rules,” Chanyeol said in a deep tone. “Take it off.”</p><p>“It’s a symbol of my faith, not a simple accessory so I am not taking it off,” Baekhyun was keeping his ground. “Are you not breaking the dressing code? Your shirt is unbuttoned and not tucked. Or don’t rules apply to you?”</p><p>“Take off your necklace or I’ll report you to the principal.”</p><p>“It’s a rosary, not a necklace,” Baekhyun said, once again but this time with a much firmer tone. His eyes then travelled towards the taller guy’s hands, noticing the many rings he had on his freakishly big fingers. <em>Is everything about this guy big? </em>“I’ll take it off if you take off your rings. They’re accessories, right?”</p><p>“That’s none of your business!” Chanyeol spat, obviously caught off guard by Baekhyun’s observation.</p><p>“In that case, my rosary is none of your business as well,” Baekhyun said, all while displaying one of those ‘fuck-you-very-much’ smiles. “Have a good day,” he continued, as he moved past Chanyeol.</p><p>Chanyeol hasn’t said a word, but the glare in his eyes proved that he was not happy and not done with Baekhyun. Still, he was surprised, he was famous for making others cry with his bad guy demeanour but it seemed that Baekhyun was immune to all of this, or at least he seemed that way. Still, the guy was getting on Chanyeol’s nerves. People who don’t do his bidding usually get on their nerves. He will make him pay.</p><p>*</p><p>Life at this school will not be easy, especially when you have dozens of snobs around you. However, Himchan chose to focus on something else, more specifically on the different activities and courses offered by this prestigious institute. It would be a pity to miss so many opportunities.</p><p>Many of these activities had to do with sport. There was a tennis club, a football club, a basketball, and even a boxing club but Himchan was never a sportsman. He could hit a ball, but he will never make a career out of it. He preferred art and music; from an early age, he started drawing and now his room was full of different clothing designs. His dream was to be a renowned designer, but he knew that for his dream he had a lot of work and money. That's why he learns a lot, to have high grades, in hopes that he can score a scholarship at some University in order to fulfill his dream.</p><p>So, without thinking too much, he signed up for music and art classes. It would not hurt to learn something new; he couldn’t really develop his artistic side at the old high school. They had art and music classes of course, but no one seemed to emphasise it. Also, the equipment of the old high school did not compare with what the students had here. The old high school didn't have a piano, here are five and the amazing part is that you can play them whenever you want. As long as the room wasn't occupied by a class, and you weren't missing any class, you could play any instrument and sharpen your art or music skills.</p><p>He actually knew how to play the piano. Yes, probably no one expected someone like him to know how to play it but he learned it a long time ago. Back when he was little and when his parents got along and weren’t alcoholics, he took piano. The lessons were pretty expensive but his parents paid for it for about two years. Then everything went to hell. His father lost his job due to drinking and from there the family really began struggling financially. The piano lessons were the first thing they gave up, to Himchan’s dismay. He hasn’t touched a piano since.</p><p>The art and music department was in another wing of the institute so just after lunch, Himchan decided to check it out as he had a free period. The department was absolutely huge and very beautiful. Himchan loved it there from the moment he set foot in the wing. He looked around, smiling as he saw works of other students being displayed on the halls’ walls. He wondered if he’ll have any works displayed there as well someday. He walked further on the beautiful and empty hallways until he reached a big wooden door.</p><p><strong>Music Room </strong>was written on the little metallic plaque on the door. Himchan entered, confidently and smiled as no one was there. As if he was drawn by a magnet, Himchan moved towards one of the pianos and slowly sat down. He sighed happily as he touched the keys, looking at them for a moment. He then began playing. It wasn’t anything specific, just something that he remembered from back then. He immediately got into the mood, playing anything that rushed through his mind, even if the music wasn’t completely correct. He just had fun, enjoying how his fingers felt on the keys after all those years, unaware that from the distance someone was watching him, surprised.</p><p>Yongguk was also a big fan of the music room; he came here every time he wanted to relax. He was one of the few people that actually played the piano; he took lessons from the age of 4. He hated it at first but his parents kept insisting and he had no choice but to obey. He grew to love the instrument, considering it one of the most elegant and beautiful sounding. Having a free period as well, he decided to come here and play a bit before the next class but as he approached the room he heard familiar sounds coming from inside. He opened the door slowly and his eyes widened immediately at the sight of Himchan.</p><p>He did not expect this. That sassy, bitchy guy was playing the piano? Well, he was not too good at it but he seemed to be very into it. Yongguk watched him for a while, unable to get his eyes off him. It seemed that these new guys were full of surprises. Maybe he had misjudged him. However, Yongguk remembered what Himchan did to him –and his precious pants- and the smile from his lips quickly turned into a smirk.</p><p>“Please stop butchering the piano,” he said, loud enough for Himchan to hear and stop. The slander male turned around and looked at Yongguk as he approached him. “You’re way off tune. What were you even playing?” he continued, approaching the other, a disapproving look all over his face.</p><p>“It’s called having fun,” Himchan replied with the same unfriendly tone. “Heard of it?”</p><p>“I did and it sounds horrible,” Yongguk snapped back. There’s something about this guy that he can’t stand but he can’t put a finger on it. “Did you play before?”</p><p>“For a while, many years ago,” Himchan said, a hint of sadness detectable in his tone. He then got up from the small chair. “All yours, Maestro,” Himchan said in a mocking tone as he turned around to leave.</p><p>Yongguk swiftly grabbed one of Himchan’s arms, stopping him in his tracks. “You’re welcome to stay and witness a true piano player,” the smirk on Yongguk’s lips grew even bigger. Himchan rolled his eyes.</p><p>“I have better things to do,” Himchan smiled, pushing Yongguk’s hand away. He then stormed off, soon exiting the room.</p><p>Yongguk scoffed. He then smiled as he sat down on the chair at the piano. He began playing immediately, creating a dramatic, powerful melody. From outside, Himchan was listening, his heart pounding. Yongguk might be a prick but he was a damn good piano player.</p><p>*</p><p>For Seungri, the first day of the second week was pretty cool. He hasn’t really minded all the unfriendly looks and whispers around his back and the day was pretty much uneventful. He was not trying to stand out in any way and just minded his own business. So far everything was going smoothly.</p><p>After school, he had swimming practice and he was very excited about it. Swimming always made him forget about his problems, at least for a little bit, that’s why he loved it so much. Seungri entered the pool area with an optimistic smile on his face. Today was his first official day in the team, and he would meet all his colleagues. There were a lot of guys in the room, and they all turned to look at him the moment he entered. The room turned quiet, all eyes were staring at his and things were a bit intimidating. Seungri smiled awkwardly.</p><p>“Welcome,” a more mature voice sounded all of a sudden and Seungri saw a tall muscular man heading towards him. “You must be Lee Seunghyun, right?” he asked, extending his hand.</p><p>“Yes. You can call me Seungri,” the brunet shook his hand.</p><p>“I’m the coach,” the man smiled. “I heard you’re pretty fast.”</p><p>“Well, I guess I am,” Seungri said with a chuckle as his eyes searched for the one he met before, that Jiyong guy. Jiyong was staring at him, a friendly smile on his face and when their eyes met he gave him a little wave.</p><p>“I want to see with my own eyes,” the coach said and Seungri nodded immediately.</p><p>Seeing him so eager, the coach didn’t waste any time. He gave Seungri a bag containing his brand new swimsuit and a towel that had the school symbol on it. The brunet went to change and emerged a few moments later wearing his brand new speedo and ready to get into the water. After a bit of stretching, Seungri was ready. He approached the pool and was ready to dive in when suddenly Jiyong’s voice was heard, calling towards the coach.</p><p>“Can I join?” Jiyong asked, smirking towards the confused looking Seungri.</p><p>“Sure, if Seungri is okay with it. It’ll give me a better idea of how fast you are,” the coach said with a smile. Seungri nodded giving his approval.</p><p>Jiyong then swiftly made his way next to Seungri and looked at him with a smile. “Ready?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>The coach blew his whistle announcing the beginning. The two jumped in the water and started swimming as their lives depended on it. Around the pool, the other guys were watching the race closely. Jiyong gained the advantage first, being way faster than Seungri but slowly the latter picked up the pace and managed to outswim him. It was incredible how determined Seungri was, giving his best in order to show the coach how good he was. Alas, Seungri was the one who touched the edge of the pool first, winning the race against Jiyong at a smaller difference than the last time, just about a second. The coach approached, clapping as he looked at Seungri with admiration. Jiyong’s looks weren’t so admirable as he already lost twice against the younger.</p><p>“Good job, Seungri,” the coach said, helping the brunet get out of the pool. “Guys, meet your newest member of the team,” he said and the crowd of boys behind Seungri all started cheering. For the first time here, Seungri felt accepted. Jiyong got out of the water as well and approached Seungri, smiling as well.</p><p>“I’ll get my revenge someday,” Jiyong smirked, offering his hand for Seungri to shake.</p><p>“I look forward to it,” Seungri said, shaking Jiyong’s hand.</p><p>
  <strong>Many Months Later</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Is it true that you once tried to drown your team-mate?” the detective asked in a very serious voice. In front of her, there was a weak, crying Jiyong trying to prove his innocence.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What does this have to do with Baekhyun?” Jiyong asked, between sniffles. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Answer the question,” the detective said with the same cold tone. “Did you or did you not try to drown Seungri?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Y-Yes…” Jiyong said, looking down in shame. </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comment?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Comment?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>he sun was shining brightly on the blue sky. Temperatures were quite high for this time of year –the middle of September- but no one complained. No one was bothered of a few extra beautiful sunny and warm days. It was the perfect time for sports.</p><p>On the grassy tennis court, two figures were moving, trying to hit the small, green ball in the opponent's field. Grunts could be heard every time one of the two hit the ball with the racket - which was quite heavy. The match was intense, the ball landed on the opposite ground for a few seconds, just to be sent again powerfully from where it came from. It all went on for a few minutes, while the two tried hard to win. Finally, the ball was hit with too little force, landing in the net in the middle of the field.</p><p>“Damn it!” Jiyong said in frustration, as he threw the racket to the ground. A small chuckle could be heard from the other side of the field.</p><p>“You used to be good at this,” the girl said, approaching the net that was in the middle. “Your game is whack, Jiyonggie,” she continued, chuckling. Jiyong glared at her for a few moments before approaching the net as well.</p><p>“You just got better, babe,” Jiyong said, complimenting the beautiful girl in front of him.</p><p>The two reached the middle of the court where the net was and she immediately wrapped her arms around Jiyong’s neck, pulling him into a slow and passionate kiss. He wrapped his hands around her tiny waist in a loving matter, just as a boyfriend should always embrace his girlfriend.</p><p>She was Lee Chaerin, a beautiful 17-year-old and the girlfriend of none other than Kwon Jiyong. She was the daughter of an important businessman in Seoul but she was building her own career as she was already one of the top online influencers of Seoul. She was already famous on Instagram and other Social Networks due to her beauty and lavish lifestyle. She was indeed gorgeous. Most girls in Korea strode to have such a perfect figure like hers, with long legs and a perfect waist. She wasn’t the typical beauty according to Korean standards but you couldn’t help like her. She had sharp eyes, a perfectly sized nose –which she claimed it was god-given, not surgically altered- and beautiful arched lips. To complete the beautiful face, she had a beauty mark on the right side of the face, just below her lips. She was absolutely stunning. She always wore eye make-up and she even managed to start a trend among young Korean girls. She was also a model and a good student; a perfect girl.</p><p>She and Jiyong knew each other since they were little due to their families’ mutual businesses. She was always around, mostly hanging out with Jiyong’s sister, Dami. Due to pressure from his family –you know how the rich are- Jiyong eventually asked her out and surprisingly she accepted. They went on a few dates and discovered that they weren’t the kids that teased each other endlessly, but teenagers who liked each other and decided to give the relationship a try. They quickly became envied by most of the teenagers as they made up quite the perfect couple.</p><p>They were together for about a year, making their first official appearance as a couple at Jiyong’s raging birthday party last year. They were quite a strong couple, being together through thick and thin. When tragedy struck the Kwon's, Chaerin was always beside her boyfriend and honestly, if it wasn’t for her, maybe Jiyong would’ve ended up like his sister. He has a lot to thank her for and he does his best to spoil his little princess.</p><p>“That was not your best game. You ok?” she asked, smiling after the kiss broke. Jiyong smiled and nodded.</p><p>“Yes, I’m fine,” Jiyong’s smile was convincing enough to make her not ask other questions. “Just a bit tired, I guess.”</p><p>“Try to get some rest okay? I need you in one piece for Saturday.”</p><p>“Saturday?” Jiyong asked, confused.</p><p>“The fashion gala!” Chaerin said, reminding Jiyong about it.</p><p>“Oh shit, I totally forgot about it!”</p><p>He did totally forget about it because he had other things on his mind. These past weeks were weird for him. With the next guys showing up at school, once closed wounds were re-opened and Jiyong realized he really wasn’t over his past traumas. Besides, there was that one kid who already out-swam him twice already. Jiyong was always used to be the best at everything, and now this peasant came and already proved everyone he is a better swimmer. Jiyong couldn’t handle such things, he didn’t take losing well. He needed to eliminate the guy somehow. He can’t kick him out, the coach was already impressed with the guy and there would be too much drama. He needed to think of other ways.</p><p>“I noticed,” Chaerin said, shaking her head. “Fear not, I took care of everything! Your tux will be delivered in the next few days,” she beamed.</p><p>“What will I do without you, love?” Jiyong asked, smiling.</p><p>“I don’t know and I don’t want to find out either,” she smiled. “Do you want to get your revenge?” she asked, referring to the tennis game.</p><p>“Totally!” Jiyong smirked.</p><p>*</p><p>The restaurant at which Seungri worked was usually a pretty busy one, especially during lunch hours. It had a good reputation thanks to the delicious food and very friendly staff. Seungri just started his shift and was already running from table to table, taking orders and carrying plates full of delicious food. Though it was tiring work, he loved it and always had a bright smile upon his face. He was a hard worker, always doing his best and his boss appreciated that.</p><p>They did a lot of catering as well; in fact, the restaurant was famous in the area for the high-quality food that they served at many high-end parties. They had another order for Saturday, a big one for an equally big and just as fancy gala. There was one problem though. The ones that placed the order asked for a few people as well. They needed a few people to serve the food and drinks to the guests and they were willing to pay a lot of money for this. The restaurant’s manager held a little meeting with the staff, explaining to them the whole situation and asked who wanted to participate. Seungri immediately raised his hand, he attended one of these things before and the pay was indeed big. It was tiring, tending after so many guests but in the end, it was worth it. Some of his colleagues volunteered as well but they were still a bit short-staffed. Seungri then raised his hand and asked if he could bring two of his friends and the manager agreed.</p><p>He then quickly called his best friends and asked them to come to the restaurant. Baekhyun and Himchan showed up about a half an hour later, curious about what Seungri wanted to tell them face to face. As soon as the brunet got a bit of a break, he told them.</p><p>“How well do they pay?” Himchan asked, intrigued by Seungri’s proposal. Baekhyun wasn’t saying anything, he was just thinking.</p><p>“Very well. I went to an event like this last year and I made about <strong>100000 won</strong> an hour. The pay might be a bit bigger now since they are very understaffed,” Seungri explained in a very serious tone. “We all need the money, right?”</p><p>“Count me in, I need new clothes,” Himchan said with a chuckle.</p><p>“What about you, Baek?” Seungri asked with a smile.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Baekhyun sighed in-between sentences. “I mean I want to but I have to talk to my parents. Dad’s pretty pissed about last week when I missed Church. Besides, they don’t really like me doing this stuff.”</p><p>“Come on,” Himchan said with a sigh. “The unholy trinity needs its third member,” he said, now with big puppy eyes and pouty lips.</p><p>“Just tell your parents that we’re doing a special project. You can leave early, we’ll cover for you,” Seungri said with a smile.</p><p>“You’re asking the son of a priest to lie,” Baekhyun said, amused by the situation.</p><p>“Yes, but it’s for a good cause!” Himchan said with a smile. “Money!”</p><p>“Alright, but if I get caught, you’ll have to explain the situation to my parents.”</p><p>“We will!” Himchan promised, grinning.</p><p>“Don’t worry, everything will be fine!” Seungri said, equally excited.</p><p>*</p><p>Arguments. Screams. Insults.</p><p>That’s all that Himchan heard these days as his parents kept quarreling over every little thing. His family was breaking apart with every passing hour and he couldn’t do anything about it. All his parents did was drink and argue and he couldn’t take it anymore, he had to get out of here.</p><p>The sun was setting over the Korean capital and Himchan was planning to get the hell out of his house, at least for a couple of hours. Before doing that, he rolled up a few joints and got dressed in his favorite black hoodie. Actually, his whole outfit was black, matching his mood perfectly. He sighed as he opened the window to his room and then climbed out. He had done this so many times; he was an expert window climber already. He pulled the hood over his head and quickly walked away from his house, that house of painful memories.</p><p>His steps took him to one of the places he frequented quite a lot these days. There was a lot of construction sites in the area, some that were very guarded but some that were completely abandoned. Those were the spots where most of the junkies hung out and where he usually did his trades. He didn’t consider himself a junkie, he smoked for pleasure, not because his body was addicted to it, and it was only weed –for now at least. Though he dealt with other stuff as well, he never tried them.</p><p>One of the construction sites he usually frequented was not far from his house and that’s where he headed right now. It was a run-down construction site of an apartment building that never happened. Usually, some junkies and alcoholics hung out there but right now there weren’t any. No one was there and Himchan for once was very happy, he needed the solitude. He entered the site and climbed on one of the upper support beams of the half-finished building. It wasn’t too high but not on the ground either, he liked it there. He lit up one of his special cigars and smoked a few times out of it, sighing deeply. He sat there, thinking around his life and watching the darkness of night engulfing the city. The weed was taking effect, making him more relaxed. He heard footsteps around him and when he turned around, there was a guy about his age, looking at him.</p><p>“It’s rude to stare,” Himchan said in a cold tone after he puffed a few times from his joint.</p><p>“D-Do you have more of that?” the guy said, pointing towards the joint. His voice was soft and shaky, and his hand was shaking as well; clearly a beginner. Himchan chuckled.</p><p>“Do you have the money?”</p><p>“S-Sure.”</p><p>The guy handed a few banknotes to Himchan, and the latter got out a few joints, handing it to him. The guy thanked him and after a moment or two, he sat down next to Himchan and lit up one of the cigars. It was silent, not that Himchan was in the mood to talk or whatever. The two continued smoking, without saying anything.</p><p>“I saw you around school,” the guy said, his tone calm and relaxed most likely because of the joint. “You’re one of the new guys, right?” he continued.</p><p>Himchan’s eyes widened but he didn’t move a muscle and he didn’t say anything. Was he one of the rich guys, he wondered, and if he was what was he doing here out of all places. This wasn’t a rich neighborhood. Did he come all this way just to get high? Don’t they have weed in their fancy-ass neighborhoods? How did he recognize him? Was he going to tell?  There were so many questions in Himchan’s mind but he chose to stay silent.</p><p>“I’m Minhyuk,” the guy said, offering one of his hands for a shake; the hand wasn’t shaking anymore. Himchan then swiftly got up and turned around.</p><p>“Y-You must have confused me with someone else…” he said before he bolted out of there as quickly as he could. It was a cowardice move, he knew he should’ve waited to see who the guy really was but he got scared. He got recognized and this was not a good thing.</p><p>He sighed, trying to calm down. The weed wasn’t helping at this point but he continued smoking as he headed back home. Arriving, he climbed the window back inside and sighed deeply. There was silence, a sign that his parents stopped fighting –or finally murdered each other. His stomach began growling, the munchies were taking effect. He opened the door to his room and headed towards the kitchen area which was a mess as always. There were broken dishes and glass everywhere; it looked like a warzone.</p><p>Before eating something, he began cleaning up. There was no sign of his parents, they were probably passed out somewhere in the house. He sighed and got to work, cleaning everything in under an hour. Of course, there was no food in the fridge so he had to order something. He was hungry and stressed; he was living such a fucked up life.</p><hr/><p>100000 Won = About 80 US dollars. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>S</strong>aturday evening; about 8 PM. The unholy trinity was standing in front of the venue, ready to get inside and get to work. The venue was absolutely grandiose, much like the event that was going to be held there; a glorious fashion show. Since she was little, Chaerin took a keen interest in fashion. She loved dressing up the numerous dolls she had, loved cutting fabric, and –with the help of adults- creating new clothes out of old ones. Her interest grew with age, and instead of dolls, she started dressing up mannequins –or even the willing servants of the house. Being an only child, it was obvious she was spoiled, her parents giving her the liberty to do anything she wanted. That’s how this fashion show was born.</p><p>The young model and influencer was going to launch her brand new collection tonight. The collection was simply entitled ‘The Baddest Female’ and was centered on a street style, a bad girl kind of look with glamour and sexy elements added to it. She worked hard for this and it was no doubt that the collection would be successful.</p><p>The venue was ideally decorated to host a luxurious show. Everywhere you looked there were golden sparkly things, from the drapes of the window to the decorations used on the tables. They surely didn’t hold back and budget seemed to be quite unlimited for the Lee’s; of course, it was their little princess’ fashion debut. Opulence was definitely the right word to describe such a thing.</p><p>The three boys went to work immediately, following the orders given by the superior staff and the event planners. They were all dressed neatly, in white shirts and black trousers –as the planners advised. People were starting to arrive at the venue, the guest list being as luxurious as the event. It was a grand event, one that no rich family could miss.</p><p>No one was holding back on the luxury and opulence and was flaunting their finances through expensive outfits and over the top accessories. Through the sea of rich snobs, there were some familiar faces as well. It was obvious Jiyong couldn’t –and wasn’t allowed- to miss his girlfriend’s big fashion debut and more obvious that he was going to show up wearing one of her creations, tailored especially for him. He wasn’t very much into this but he didn’t protest much either –again, he wasn’t allowed to say much. Joining him were his two best friends, Yongguk and Chanyeol, each with their so-called lovers by their sides.</p><p>Chanyeol wasn’t one to stay in a relationship for too long, and who could blame him? He liked to have fun and that did not mean staying monogamous. So yeah, he fooled around a lot, he was a bad boy after all and the reputation preceded him. He was a hot boy with a lot of love to spread around –or so he defended himself. He began dating the budding influencer/model Jennie Kim about two months ago and so far things were going well. Jennie was a beautiful long haired brunette who –at only 17- already had several modeling contracts under her belt. Her petite stature, porcelain skin, and flawless style were already turning heads and propelling this young woman on the road to stardom. Their relationship was going pretty well so far, with Jennie bragging that she will finally tame the untameable and bring Chanyeol on the right monogamous path- Chanyeol wasn’t so sure about her statement.</p><p>Yongguk, on the other hand, wanted a long, deep, and meaningful relationship. He wanted a stable partner to who he could share all things in his life, good and bad. He wanted a special connection but so far he didn’t find such a thing. He began dating the beautiful Roseanne Park around three months ago. She was half Australian, an aspiring photographer, and the daughter of a well-known Ambassador. She was a beautiful young lady, with sweet features, cherry lips, and almond eyes but that was about it. Sure, she had a nice body and face but her personality was quite the opposite. She was a spoiled brat, always expecting to be treated like a princess and exploding in feats of rage when that didn’t happen. She was also pretty dumb and Yongguk oftentimes wondered why he is even bothering explaining simple things to her. He wanted to break up with her for a while now but his father advised him not to do it just yet, as a collaboration with the Ambassador might be quite fruitful. For the sake of his father and the family, he agreed to continue dating her but only for a brief time –he could feel getting dumber when he talked to her.</p><p>Of course, the three girls were friends, going to the same school together –a special all-girl school, even fancier than what the boys had. They were by far the most popular girls in school, loved –and envied- by everyone.</p><p>The venue was filled in a few minutes with all kinds of rich people from all over the city. Everyone was socializing, talking, and laughing, many being very curious about Chaerin's fashion debut. Our boys, the unholy trinity, had various tasks to perform tonight, including serving the drinks. Each of them took a golden tray in his hand on which were placed a few glasses of champagne, and walked through the sea of people, offering drinks. They moved gracefully, always offering a polite and short smile as well.</p><p>The most important moment of the night was approaching so all the guests turned their attention to the catwalk and the stage organized in honor of the Fashion Show. A bit hesitant at first but with extraordinary charisma and presence, Chaerin took the stage for a short speech. She started by thanking everyone for their presence and then thanked her parents for all the hard work and support. Everything was simple and short, she was never a fan of long and boring speeches; she prefers the facts to speak for themselves. Then, she came down from the stage, thus starting her very first fashion show to the applause of all the guests.</p><p>The music rumbled from the speakers mounted on the walls of the room and the lights went out, making room for much stronger spotlights. All eyes were on the catwalk as one by one the models began to parade, flaunting the clothes created by the talented teenager. Cheers and applause followed. The audience seems to love the creations and Chaerin was very happy. When it was all over, she was invited once again on the small stage in front of the catwalk and her wonderful boyfriend surprised her with a huge bouquet - white roses, her favorites.</p><p>Undoubtedly, the show was a success.</p><p>*</p><p>Seungri was a bit tired and he decided to take a bit of a break in order to rest his legs. He also was tired of the loud music and wanted to step out for a moment. After he announced his supervisor, he made his way towards one of the back exits of the venue but just he was about to step out, he heard his name being called out. He turned around and saw Jiyong and Chaerin coming towards him, both smiling broadly.</p><p>“Seungri! Are you leaving already?” Jiyong spoke, offering his hand for the other to shake.</p><p>“Hi…” Seungri chuckled awkwardly as he shook the other’s hand. “…I was just going on a small break…”</p><p>“Ah, I see,” Jiyong smiled. “I wanted you to meet my girlfriend and star of tonight’s event,” he said, looking towards the beautiful young woman. “This is the beautiful and talented Lee Chaerin.”</p><p>“Nice to meet you,” Seungri smiled, bowing his head politely towards the girl. She smiled weakly and nodded as well. “Congratulations on tonight’s show. The clothes are really pretty.”</p><p>“Thank you,” she smiled, this time a bit more broadly than before. “Jiyong has told me about you.”</p><p>“He did?” Seungri asked, curiously.</p><p>“Yeah and I think it’s a great opportunity for people like you –very sad social cases- to attend such a prestigious school.”</p><p>“I never really thought about myself as a very sad social case,” Seungri said in a very serious tone, glaring towards the girl. He did not like the cheeky remark she made.</p><p>“Well, you kind of are. You should be happy Mr. Kwon is such a generous man,” she said, the smile on her face turning into a smirk. She knew she hit a soft spot. “By the way, can you fill this up for me? I ran out of champagne,” she asked, showing him the empty glass that was in her hands.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I am on a break,” Seungri started, smiling at the teenager. “But I am sure you can find other sad social cases to do that for you, there are plenty of those around here, in fact, I am looking at it just now,” he continued, offering a cold smirk as well.</p><p>Then, he turned around and left, not waiting for any kind of retaliation from that rich bitch. He had tears in his eyes, her words really affecting him but he kept his composure and did not break down. He won’t let those rich bastards walk all over him.</p><p>*</p><p>It was a little after midnight when Himchan took a little smoking break as well. He was in there for too long and his legs were killing but the money he will receive will be totally worth it. He lit up one of his special cigars –a joint- and drew a long smoke, instantly feeling a bit better about everything.</p><p>“May I join?” the deep voice of Yongguk sounded, startling the other.</p><p>Yongguk got tired of meaningless conversations with his girlfriend complaining that the champagne wasn’t bubbly enough or the glass wasn’t good enough for her to photograph and display it on various social media platforms. Roseanne seemed to be in one of her moods and nothing he did was up to par for her fancy ass so he left to clear his head before he’d something stupid –like dumping her.</p><p>“I guess,” Himchan said with an uninterested tone. Then, he went back to smoking.</p><p>“Damn, I forgot my cigars inside,” Yongguk said, searching the pockets of his suit jacket. “Can I borrow one?” he asked, not really looking at what Himchan was smoking.</p><p>“I…” Himchan looked at him and chuckled. “I would but…”</p><p>“Is that a joint?” Yongguk asked, quite loudly causing Himchan’s eyes to go wide.</p><p>“Say it louder I don’t think the ones inside heard you,” Himchan said in a serious tone, causing Yongguk to chuckle.</p><p>“Sorry. Can I have one?”</p><p>“Are you going to tell?”</p><p>“Only if you won’t give me one,” Yongguk said with a devious smile. Himchan shook his head, then grabbed a joint from the chest pocket of his shirt and gave it to Yongguk.</p><p>“Thanks, I appreciate it.”</p><p>“You better, it was my last one,” Himchan said with a small laugh. Yongguk chuckled as well.</p><p>They smoked in silence for a few moments, just enjoying the moment without boring and unnecessary small talk. They occasionally looked at each other but neither of them felt the need to stir up a conversation. Himchan finished smoking first but enjoyed a few more moments of tranquillity before he went back into the madness inside.</p><p>“This was good weed,” Yongguk said, satisfied with what he smoked. “You’re full of surprises, Kim Himchan.”</p><p>“You have no idea,” Himchan said, adding a small wink. Then, he turned around to leave. “You owe me 10000 Won for the joint,” he continued, heading inside.</p><p>Yongguk just chuckled as shook his head, watching as Himchan went back to work. Maybe it was from the weed –or maybe not- but he felt strangely compelled to look at Himchan’s ass as he walked away from him and he didn’t hate what he was seeing. He shook his head once again before smoking the rest of the joint and heading back inside to his obnoxious and moody girlfriend.</p><p>*</p><p>It was pretty late already and Baekhyun was still here. He wanted to stay a bit longer but knew that he needed to get home quickly because all hell will break loose if he misses another church day. He didn’t want to upset his parents once again, he already felt bad enough for lying to them about being here. He knew they wouldn’t agree with him going to these kinds of events but he needed the money.</p><p>Himchan and Seungri kept telling him that they’ll cover for him so he could go home but he wanted to stay a little longer as he didn’t feel too tired or sleepy. He kept walking through the sea of people, serving drinks, or picking up empty glasses. His feet took him to another part of the venue, the pool area –yes, this venue had a beautiful outdoor pool area but tonight no one really went here as the weather was quite chilly.</p><p>Still, there were a few people who enjoyed the cold fresh air of an autumn night and there were a few discarded empty glasses left there so he thought of cleaning them up before leaving. As soon as he stepped around the area, he regretted it because sitting alone at a table was none other than Park Chanyeol. The tall individual seemed to have enjoyed more glasses of champagne than he should and he was visibly drunk by now. The worst thing was that he noticed Baekhyun entering and a smirk curled up his beautiful lips.</p><p>“Yo, nerdy!”  he called out, his deep voice echoing. “Come here!” he called again. Baekhyun sighed but slowly made his way towards him, hoping to be done with him quickly.</p><p>“What?” Baekhyun replied in an unfriendly tone, causing the tall male to laugh.</p><p>“Get me a drink!” Chanyeol commended drunkenly. He looked at Baekhyun, scanning him from head to toe and then smiled.</p><p>“Don’t you think you had too much?”</p><p>“Get me a drink!”</p><p>“Go get it yourself. You’re wasted!” Baekhyun said, trying not to pay much attention to the drunken individual.</p><p>Suddenly Chanyeol got up, an unfriendly glare in his eyes. Baekhyun had no chance to react as Chanyeol grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. “You should do as I say or you’ll get punished,” the tall man said in the scariest tone Baekhyun has ever heard.</p><p>“Let me go before you’ll regret it!” Baekhyun said, not showing any signs of fearfulness. This only seemed to fuel Chanyeol’s desire to hurt him. Baekhyun struggled to move and even hit the other’s chest but his hands were no match for the tall man’s toned body.</p><p>“Feisty little nerd,” Chanyeol smirked, grabbing Baekhyun’s hands. “You should cool off,” he said, dragging the smaller man towards the pool.</p><p>Baekhyun’s eyes widened, knowing very well that if he doesn’t do something, he will get soaked into that pool. He knew that the bastard will stop at nothing to humiliate him. He struggled but there was no use, even drunk, Chanyeol was stronger than him. Luckily, Baekhyun was a quick thinker so he quickly drafted a plan in his mind. He let Chanyeol drag him towards the pool, not protesting much, he wanted to give Chanyeol the illusion he was in control. Then, as they got dangerously close, he put his plan into motion. Chanyeol might be stronger but he sure wasn’t smarter, especially now that he was drunk.</p><p>Smirking, Baekhyun began phase one of his plan, which was releasing himself from the monster’s grip. “God help me,” he mumbled before he dug down and sunk his teeth in Chanyeol’s hand, biting as hard as he could. Chanyeol reacted immediately, growling loudly, the pain quickly making the grip loose enough for Baekhyun to escape. Now, Baekhyun was free and in front of him was an angry Chanyeol, looking at him with a glare that came straight from his dark soul.</p><p>Of course, he could run and risk that the bastard would follow him or he could get a bit of revenge. Being a good Christian, he knew that he should forgive Chanyeol for such behavior, turn the other cheek as the bible suggested but right now Baekhyun felt like the latter deserved a bit of punishment. And so, phase two began when Chanyeol charged towards him but Baekhyun was fast enough to dodge the drunken male. Chanyeol was at a disadvantage, being dizzy from the alcohol, and Baekhyun was ready to exploit that. The tall male kept chasing after the smaller one but failed to catch him as he was much too drunk to run in a straight line. Once again, they were close to the pool and it finally seemed that Chanyeol is going to catch Baekhyun but just as he was about to do so, Baekhyun caught him instead and in a flash, he pushed him into the cold waters of the pool. Chanyeol didn’t stand a chance and barely realized what just happened when he plunged into the water.</p><p>Baekhyun didn’t get to see Chanyeol’s reaction as he quickly rushed back inside the venue. He left a couple of minutes later, rushing home as fast as possible. He knew that he shouldn’t have done that but it felt really good.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comment ? <br/>What do you guys think?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>I</strong>t was Monday again and the ‘unholy trinity’ was definitely not excited for another week of studying at that preppy High School. They really missed their old high school; everyone was way more real back there. Here, everyone seemed so cold and fake. It’s been several weeks since they came here and everyone was still staring at them like they were the most precious exhibit at a museum or some freaks in some circus show. They ignored them –for the most part- but that doesn’t mean that they weren’t affected; it was not fun to be stared at like you were a freak just because of the social class you belonged in.</p><p>Another reason why they weren’t so excited for today was because of their weekend activities. The party they attended –or better yet, worked at- was definitely interesting. They had the chance to experience what kind of parties the so-called 1% of the population threw and honestly they weren’t much impressed. Yes, the opulence and luxury of the place were nice but they didn’t seem to be having much fun, not the kind of fun they expected anyway. Everyone either drank their mind off or sat around visibly judging others. Though the rich families seemed to get along, it was mostly façade, and the rivalries –friendly or not- could be seen by a mile away.</p><p>Out of the three, Baekhyun seemed to be the most worried. He wondered what consequences would be after his actions at the party. It seemed that whenever he and that brat Park Chanyeol are in a room together, things tend to go haywire but last Saturday things took a rather apocalyptic turn which ended up with a soaked Chanyeol and a fleeing, panicked Baekhyun. Upon replaying the events of that night in his head, Baekhyun realized that doing such thing to the brat meant in essence, signing his death sentence. Still, he refused to be bullied by a rich spoiled brat and so his actions were somewhat justified. Besides, Chanyeol was the one to start it.</p><p>The three walked as confidently as they could through the student’s entrance of the preppy school, all with disinterested expressions on their faces; it was much too early for them to display any other expression. The three each went to their respective lockers, getting out their supplies for their next class.</p><p>“<em>Byun Baekhyun, please report to the principal’s office,” a male voice was heard over the intercom. There was a pause, before the voice went on again, repeating what it just said. </em></p><p>Baekhyun instantly felt chills travel up and down his body; he knew he was in trouble. As expected, everyone that was present turned their attention towards him, some looking at him with suspicion, others' curiosity.</p><p>“Oh you’re in trouble now,” Himchan teased, coming towards his friend. He had a big smile on his face. “Who would’ve thought that the church boy would be such a troublemaker,” he continued, squeezing Baekhyun’s shoulder.</p><p>“Stop teasing him like that,” Seungri intervened from the other side, smiling as well. “Though you may be right, what he did on Saturday was such a bad boy move,” he continued as well, causing Himchan to laugh and Baekhyun to want to bury himself under the ground and never come out.</p><p>“Stop it guys,” Baekhyun whined. “I never should’ve told you.” Of course, Baekhyun shared what happened with his two best friends and they both laughed their asses off and complimented him for his quick thinking.</p><p>“We’re proud of you! You’re such a bad bitch,” winked Himchan.  “I wonder what the principal wants. You may be a bad boy outside of school but here you’ve been nothing but an angel.”</p><p>“It can’t be bad. Good luck!” Seungri said, giving his friend a long hug.</p><p>Feeling a bit more confident, Baekhyun walked towards the principal’s office and upon arriving there he pushed the big mahogany doors, entering. He was not surprised to see none other than Chanyeol standing there with a smirk on his face and the principal who seemed to be really serious. He said hello and bowed politely, then entered further into the room, looking only at the older man; he preferred just to ignore the presence of Chanyeol.</p><p>“Y-You wanted to see me, sir?” he asked with a quivering voice. The principal nodded, offering the younger a seat. Baekhyun sat down and looked around the room, still avoiding Chanyeol’s presence.</p><p>“As you know, this school has a strict dress code that all students must follow and I am sure familiar that you’re not allowed wearing accessories. It has come to my attention that not only you are wearing accessories but you’re also using them for some kind of religious propaganda. I called you here because I wanted to settle this.”</p><p>Baekhyun was not surprised one bit by the accusations. He sighed deeply before answering. “With all due respect Mr. Park, I am only wearing a rosary that was a gift from my father. I am also wearing it under the school uniform and no one saw it or had any problem with it,” Baekhyun paused, now looking at the smirking Chanyeol. “…until Chanyeol asked me about it.”</p><p>“You’re breaking school rules, so naturally I needed to tell someone,” Chanyeol said, his deep voice booming in the room.</p><p>“I am afraid you have to take it off otherwise you’ll be punished,” the principal said with a calm tone, looking at both of the youngsters. Baekhyun’s blood was boiling with rage.</p><p>“Fine,” Baekhyun said, a small smile dancing on his lips. “I will take off my rosary but only if Chanyeol takes off his accessories as well,” the young man continued, his smile disappearing and being replaced with a very serious face. “Right now he is wearing three rings and a bracelet, a bracelet that has small engraved crosses. Doesn't that instigate religion? Do the rules not apply to him because he’s your son?”</p><p>He found out that the principal and that asshole were related because of Saturday’s party and honestly he was surprised because Mr. Park seemed a quite rational and okay man in comparison to his brat of a child.</p><p>“How dare you speak like that to my father?” Chanyeol asked, angered by the whole situation. Baekhyun turned to him and smirked; only adding fuel to the fire.</p><p>“So please Mr. Park, please do punish me. Or better yet, why don’t you expel me? I bet the mayor and the media would love to hear this story,” Baekhyun’s tone of voice was very serious, as was his facial expression.</p><p>The principal offered a small chuckle and a kind smile. He didn’t say anything at first, just shared glances with his obvious angry son, and then sighed. A few moments later, he told Baekhyun that he can continue to wear his rosary. He also apologized. Baekhyun thanked him as well, bowing politely before getting out of the office. Chanyeol wanted to go and confront his school mate but his father stopped him, saying that they needed to have a serious talk.</p><p>Moments later, an argument broke into the principal’s office.</p><p>*</p><p>While for some the day started with nasty events, others had a completely uneventful day. Nothing really interesting happened, not even a quarrel with classmates. Nothing. It was a boring Monday and it was exhausting.</p><p>Seungri couldn’t way to get home, this day was very long and he wanted nothing more than to relax and maybe take a nap. He doesn’t have to work today and he was glad because he was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open. Still, he had one more hour to spend here since he had swimming practice to attend.</p><p>He really hoped that the practice would be as calm and uneventful as the rest of the day and for the most part, it was. Honestly, he was a bit skittish about hanging out near Jiyong considering the events that went down on Saturday. Though that girlfriend of his deserved every word he threw her –and even more- he knew that Jiyong wasn’t sharing his opinion. Jiyong could find a way to take revenge or he could forget –though Seungri wasn’t convinced he will.</p><p>So far, things were quite calm and everyone seemed to be minding their own business, each student listening to what the coach was saying. They all warmed up with some quick exercises and then it was time to get into the water. The coach timed their performance in the water every week so they all tried hard to show good progress.</p><p>They all gave their best and naturally, Seungri did the same. In the end, it was the latter who was the fastest of the bunch, followed closely –at just 1.1 second- by Jiyong. The others were at least three or four seconds behind them.</p><p>“Congratulations once again,” Jiyong said, approaching the younger moments after the coach announced who was the fastest. “What is your secret? I keep training but I can never seem to beat you,” the brunet chuckled.</p><p>“I have no secret,” Seungri chuckled. “You’re really fast as well.”</p><p>“Not fast enough,” Jiyong smiled. “You’re really something, Lee Seungri.”</p><p>“I’m nothing special.”</p><p>“Sorry about Saturday,” Jiyong began, a small smile dancing on his lips. His eyes were looking straight into Seungri’s. “Chaerin went a bit overboard with her words.”</p><p>“It’s okay, I am used to it,” Seungri said, now looking down at his feet. He still felt Jiyong’s eyes on him, his gaze burning on his skin. “I should apologize as well, I retaliated badly.”</p><p>“She’ll live,” Jiyong chuckled.</p><p>Seungri did not expect Jiyong to be so friendly towards him, especially after Saturday but it seemed that he didn’t really care that he insulted his girlfriend. Instead, he kept talking to Seungri, making conversation, and kept asking about tips about swimming. He was even cracking jokes and complimenting the latter; Seungri was absolutely stunned. The Jiyong that was talking to him now seemed totally different than the Jiyong he talked to before; he seemed nice and friendly. The talked through the whole hour of practice, they even laughed together and were generally warm towards each other. If Jiyong was pretending, he was a good actor but somehow Seungri felt like this was genuine.</p><p>When practice ended, everyone went to take a shower and get dressed. Seungri sighed relieved, this school day ended with no conflicts and though it was long and tiresome, it was a good day. He showered and then returned to his locker in order to get dressed. Most of his colleagues –including Jiyong- had left already and so he was actually enjoying these few minutes of solitude. He got dressed and proceeded to leave when he heard his name being called.</p><p>“Seungri! Wait up,” turning his head, he saw a guy with a huge smile on his face approach him. “Congratulations today. You’re very fast and just what the team needs,” the guy complimented him and shook his hand vigorously, taking the brunet by surprise.</p><p>“Uh….thanks…uh…”</p><p>“Daehyun, Jung Daehyun. We have science and English together,” the guy said, showing off his broad smile.</p><p>Jung Daehyun was definitely one of the best looking guys in school. He was of average height, with blond hair that was kept in an undercut trim, brown almond-shaped eyes, a cute small nose, and a pair of big kissable lips. He was a cutie, with a bubbly personality, a love for food bigger than any other, and energy hard to match. Though he knew he was handsome and rich –and practically had everything one would want- he was humble and friendly towards everyone. He had a big heart and loved to help.</p><p>“Nice to meet you,” Seungri smiled. The handshake continued for a few more seconds. Then, the two proceeded to exit the locker area.</p><p>“Can I give you a word of advice?” Daehyun asked, smiling.</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>“I know it’s not my business but be careful about Jiyong. He might seem friendly and all but he has a bit of dark side,” the blond said with a serious tone and face but then smiled again. “I know he’s your friend and…”</p><p>“We’re not friends,” Seungri said with a serious tone as well. “Thanks for the advice; I’ll keep that in mind.”</p><p>The two soon exited the school and each headed into separate directions, parting with another long handshake. Seungri was a bit taken aback by his new acquaintances’ word of advice, wondering how much truth did Daehyun words held.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comment?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>I</strong>t was raining. Raindrops fell on the hot earth under a black sky that seemed to be very angry. Weirdly, it was still hot, the kind of stifling heat that took your breath away. The air was heavy. Jiyong arrived home after training at the pool. He was tired and all he wanted to do was take a long shower and just be lazy the entire day. However, he knew he could not do that, he had a lot of homework to complete. He was one of the top students at the school and the grades weren’t because the school was built by his family; he was actually a good student. He always liked learning new things, documenting, and researching, he found it fascinating.</p><p>No one seemed to be home at the moment, except for the ones working there. The Kwon family had about a dozen people working for them, doing stuff they were too lazy or rich to perform. They had drivers that took them to important events, staff that helped with the cleaning and greeting of guests, gardeners, cooks, and so on. Jiyong even had a stylist growing up but that didn’t last long; his tastes were very different than what she was proposing so his family got rid of her.</p><p>An elderly maid came to greet him, bowing politely towards him. He returned the bow, smiling towards her. She informed him that his parents are stuck with meetings and that they’ll probably be home later than usual. He thanked her and then headed to one of the two huge staircases that lead to the upper rooms of the villa. Jiyong sighed as he walked through the big hallway on the way to his own room. It was truly a paradox how such a big villa with all sorts of entertainment sources could feel so damn empty. He continued walking for a while until something caught his attention and caused him to stop dead in his tracks.</p><p>To his left was the door to his sister’s room, a room that stayed unchanged since her passing. The door was usually closed, locked even but now it stood completely ajar. He slowly approached the room. He looked inside but nothing seemed to be out of place. The room was in the same state as he remembered but he wondered why the door was open. Fueled by curiosity, he went back downstairs and asked the same woman from before about the incident.</p><p>“Mr. Kwon told us to empty the room as soon as possible. He wants to turn it into some kind of office,” she said with a serious tone, yet with a calm voice. Instantly, Jiyong felt his blood boiling with rage.</p><p>“You will do no such thing,” Jiyong said in a calm tone. Even though he was very angry, he knew better than to snap at the sweet elderly lady in front of him; he was an educated man, not an animal. “Dad made an error. Can you please give me the keys to the room?”</p><p>“As you wish,” she said with a smile.</p><p>Jiyong grabbed the keys from her and then stormed back upstairs. Once he was there he shut the door close and locked it. He then picked up the phone and called his father. He didn’t snap at the maid but he will definitely snap at his no-good father. How dare he tarnish his sister’s memory?</p><p>
  <em>Kwon Dami was the elder daughter of the Kwon family and the first heir of the little business empire that the adults have built. She was a very beautiful young woman, modeling from a young age and already a prominent figure on various social media platforms. She was not just a pretty face, she was also very smart as well, being the top of her class. She took interest in all of the family’s business and that made Mr. Kwon very happy. She was the apple of his eyes and he couldn’t be prouder of the woman she was becoming. However, things changed after she got a bit more mature. At 16 she began dating and it was clear from the start that she won’t let anyone dictate who she would date. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dating in this rich world was very similar to arranged marriages. Either you dated someone rich that would bring wealth to your family or you’ll become a pariah. She really tried dating guys from rich families but most of them were spoiled brats with no manners or personality so definitely not her cup of tea. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then, she met Hyunwoo, and her world was turned upside down. Though he was not rich, quite the opposite actually, he managed to sweep her off her feet in an instant. They met at a party and since then they were quite inseparable. She was attracted to his manliness, the way he talked, and acted around her but probably she was attracted to his bad-boy attitude. He was a rebel he did not play by the rules and he loved living dangerously. Besides all that, he was dealing drugs to make a living as well as working several shit jobs; he had a family to support. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Kwon almost had a heart attack when he heard of his precious’ daughter’s boyfriend. He tried coaxing her into breaking up with him, bringing up numerous reasons to do so but Dami did not listen to him anymore. He accused her of bringing shame to the family and even threatened to disown her but she didn’t care about money or anything, she loved Hyunwoo and wanted to start a future together with him. The threats continued and little by little the relationship between Dami and her dad deteriorated completely. They hardly spoke to each other anymore and her dad did his best in order for her to regret choosing Hyunwoo instead of her family. He cut off her funds, her car privileges and he even changed his will so that Jiyong would be the biggest heir of the company. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jiyong was just a mere spectator at the family drama unfolding before his eyes and he didn’t want to say or do much knowing his dad will certainly punish him. Still, he helped his sister as much as he could, their relationship becoming even stronger. He saw that she was in love and though he never met Hyunwoo, he could tell he was making her happy and that’s what mattered. He really hoped their father will eventually understand but that never happened. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Eventually, she wanted to get away from her family, run away with her boyfriend. She wanted everything to be kept a secret, she hasn’t told anyone but Mr. Kwon caught her just as she was ready to pack everything and run. The scandal was so intense that it woke everyone in the mansion. Jiyong witnessed the moment his father hit Dami with an astounding force, sending her on the floor. He intervened and managed to stop his dad from hitting his sister but unfortunately, he couldn’t stop what happened next. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dami left as quickly as she could, all while her own dad was screaming at her and calling her derogatory terms; Jiyong could still hear every word. She was planning to leave Seoul along with Hyunwoo. They had no destination in mind, they just wanted out of the city and as far away as possible from Mr. Kwon. She had a considerable amount of money due to her saving up –and thanks to Jiyong’s generosity- so they’ll be able to help Hyunwoo’s family too and also find a small place for them to start be a family. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Unfortunately, that did not happen. Rain was pouring heavily the night the two lovers left and not long after they left the city, a car smashed into them. The vehicle they were in was absolutely destroyed, catching fire immediately; the two lovers didn’t have a chance. </em>
</p><p>No one really recovered from the death of Dami, Jiyong especially. He missed her sister dearly. After the funerals, Jiyong became a totally different person; he was much more reserved and barely smiled anymore. He spent a lot of time in her old room, just sat on her bed and cried for hours, remembering all the fun times they spent together. He asked his parents to preserve her memory by keeping the room intact and they agreed…up to this point.</p><p><em><strong>“Jiyong, this isn’t a good time,</strong>” </em>Mr. Kwon’s voice was heard through the phone as he finally answered. Jiyong was calling him for the past five minutes. <strong>“<em>I have tons of meetings.”</em></strong></p><p><em>“</em><strong>I don’t care</strong>,” Jiyong’s voice was stern and grave. “<strong>Why did you decide to empty Dami’s room?”</strong> he asked.</p><p>There were a few moments of silence before his father spoke up. “<strong><em>I don’t have time now, Jiyong. We’ll talk when we get home.”</em></strong></p><p>
  <strong>“Listen to me and listen well: you’re not going to touch her room. Understood?”</strong>
</p><p>“<strong><em>No, you listen to me,</em></strong>” Mr. Kwon’s tone was very dark. “<em><strong>I am your father and I decided what’s going on in my house. I have a meeting now but we’ll certainly have a talk about your attitude when I get home.”</strong></em></p><p>With that, his father hung up. Jiyong was so angry that tears invaded his eyes. He stormed towards his room and fell onto the bed, crying. There were moments like this when he regretted being part of this messed up family.</p><p>*</p><p>It was quite late when Seungri arrived home from work. He pulled some extra shifts at the restaurant and also had to go make some special deliveries for his side jobs. With the money earned, he quickly went by the pharmacy and bought the medicine his mother needed and then went straight home. He still had a decent amount of money left so he decided to surprise his little sister.</p><p>As soon as he got home, he knocked on the door to his sister’s room. Hanna immediately opened the door and smiled at the sight of her brother, and then she invited him inside. He then reached in the pockets of his worn jeans and got out a few banknotes that he handed to her.</p><p>“Here, you should go buy something nice for yourself,” Seungri said with a smile. “You’re a young lady and you need to look good.”</p><p>“I can’t take this,” she said, refusing the money at first. “We need to buy medicine for mom…”</p><p>“I already did that, don’t worry,” he smiled. “Take the money and buy something nice for you.”</p><p>“Where did you get all this money? Did you rob a bank or something?” her cute questions were making Seungri smile.</p><p>“I pulled some extra shifts and that gig on Saturday really helped. We’re doing okay now,” he said with a smile. Of course, she won’t tell his sister about his side gig.</p><p>“You’re not into any illegal stuff, are you?” she asked with a serious tone. “I heard all kinds of things around school about people selling their bodies or drugs in order to get money.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t do something like that,” he lied as he grabbed her in a tight hug. “Don’t worry about me.”</p><p>“I love you,” she said, wrapping her smaller hands around his back.</p><p>“I love you too, dumpling.”</p><p>*</p><p>The Kim household –if you could still call it that- has experienced several crises today. For starters, Himchan couldn’t find his favorite belt this morning and had to wear a very plain one to school. Yes, he wasn’t allowed any over the top accessories but he always felt better wearing one of his bedazzled belts; the uniform thing was really getting on his nerves.</p><p>Unfortunately, the belt incident was the least of his worries. He came home to another set of arguments and fights and he shortly found out that this time he was the reason his parents were fighting; the apple of discord so to speak. While not yet divorced but on a clear way to separation, his two drunken parents were discussing –rather loudly- about who should take custody of the young man. Shockingly enough, no one seemed to want him as each of the parents seemed sick of their own child. Himchan came home in the appropriate –or rather inappropriate- time to hear the arguments and this shook him to the core.</p><p>He stood there, in the doorway of the living room watching the two drink enthusiasts that he called parents fight over him. His eyes widened as he heard what they were actually talking about and as they didn’t seem to notice him, they continued the heated argument. His father argued that he needs too much money and there’s no way he could support him while his mother said that he is too much of a bother for her. For a moment Himchan listened, his fists clenching as his anger was building. The ones he called family did not want him and that hurt a lot. However, he didn’t want to show any signs of weakness –not that they would care anyway.</p><p>He announced his presence by slowly tapping on the doorframe. The two adults stopped and looked towards him with wide eyes. He glared at them for a few moments and then in the brattiest tone he could muster, he asked for food which of course, wasn’t prepared. The two parents quickly searched their pockets for some money and luckily they had enough to order some food at the cheapest place available.</p><p>Once the food arrived, the three sat around the table in the kitchen but neither of them ate. Himchan took a look at the food and made a disgusted face, he wasn’t hungry anymore. His parents kept looking at him but neither of them said anything.</p><p>“As you know, we are both separating and…” his mom started, looking towards him and then his father. “…and we were talking about who should gain custody of you.”</p><p>“I heard,” Himchan said, glaring at the two.</p><p>“You’re old enough to decide with whom you want to stay…” his father began but Himchan cut him off.</p><p>“It’s an easy decision, really,” Himchan said, still keeping his cold eyes on them. They looked at each other. “I’m choosing no one,” he said with a smirk. He then got up from the table, his eyes still fixated on his now shocked parents.</p><p>“What?” they both asked in unison.</p><p>“It’s clear that neither of you wants me so why be a bother? Go ahead and drink your mind off, no one will stop you!” he said, now pushing the untouched food containers towards them. “Please eat something; I have neither time nor money to prepare your funerals.”</p><p>With that, he turned around and left. He quickly went to his room to pack a few things, locking the door after him. Both of his parents tried entering his room while he was packing but he pretended he didn’t hear them; anything they said was lies anyway. Once he was done, he climbed out the window and quickly left the premises.</p><p>He walked aimlessly for a while, wondering what to do now. He tried not to cry, knowing that he’ll break down as soon as the first tear leaves his eyes. Instead, he sighed and texted one of his closest friends.</p><p>About thirty minutes later, he was in front of Baekhyun’s house, waiting for the younger to open the front door. Once he did, he quickly hugged him and thanked him for his kindness. Why he chose Baekhyun instead of Seungri? It was simple; he didn’t want to bother Seungri as the latter had to take care of his ill mother as well. Baekhyun agreed to shelter him for a night, maybe even a few days knowing that his situation was very critical right now. As soon as Baekhyun hugged him, Himchan broke down in tears, crying and telling the younger everything that happened.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comment? Opinions? Thoughts? Anything?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>L</strong>ife is an amalgamation of ups and downs, of highs and lows. Though many consider this a perfect balance, others feel like life was just unfair. You just couldn’t have too much good or bad, it was unnatural but still, sometimes it would happen. Some people don’t experience hardships at all while others rarely have good stuff happening for them; it was the way some lived and they were used to it already.</p>
<p>Himchan didn’t remember the last time when something good actually happened in his life –except that awesome sale Sephora had the other day. He was used to it, good things didn’t happen to him often and when they did that didn’t last very long. He always lived like that, with life throwing him curve-ball after curve-ball and him barely managing to stay afloat and sane.</p>
<p>The last curve-ball that life threw at him really managed to fuck him up. He expected something to happen after all his parents were divorcing and they needed to share custody somehow. Even though he knew they weren’t the most loving parents around, he didn’t expect to hear that they didn’t want him. That really messed him up.</p>
<p>Now, he was a tough kid, no cry baby, but hearing those words really made him bawl his eyes out. He was shaking and crying, whimpering while bawling his eyes out while his friends were trying to calm him down; without too much success. He collapsed exhausted after about two hours of sobbing.</p>
<p>It’s been two days since the unfortunate event and Himchan was still staying at Baekhyun’s place. The latter and his family were kind enough to let him stay here for a few days until he was ready to go back to the house he called home. Honestly, Himchan didn’t really want to do that, he didn’t want to face his parents – if you could even call them that- after what happened.</p>
<p>“I really appreciate what you’ve done for me…” Himchan said for probably the hundredth time since he arrived.</p>
<p>It was morning and the two boys were getting ready for school in Baekhyun’s small bathroom. While the latter was brushing his teeth, Himchan was applying some kind of face cream.</p>
<p>“No problem,” Baekhyun said as he was done with the brushing. He rinsed his mouth and then looked in the mirror. “You’re my friend and I know you would’ve done the same for me,” he smiled, looking at the other.</p>
<p>“I won’t stay long. I’ll return home in a few days,” Himchan began, now fixing his black hair.</p>
<p>“You can stay for as long as you want,” Baekhyun smiled.</p>
<p>“I won’t cause trouble or bring any boys home,” Himchan said with a chuckle. Baekhyun laughed as well.</p>
<p>Between the boys, Himchan sexuality was not a very taboo topic. He told them he liked boys about a year ago and their friendship didn’t really change much. Sure, Baekhyun was a bit shocked by all of this and began his usually ‘It’s against God’s will” preaches but eventually, he realized that Himchan was still his friend and he shouldn’t judge people based on their sexuality.</p>
<p>Himchan suspected that both of his friends shared his love of men but he chose to stay silent about it; ultimately they decided to admit it or not. He could be wrong too, his ‘gaydar’ was usually broken.</p>
<p>“Is there a guy that caught your attention at the new school?” Baekhyun asked, surprising Himchan; usually, he wasn’t one to talk about these things.</p>
<p>“Some of them are cute but most of them are rich assholes,” Himchan said, rolling his eyes. A particular guy came to Himchan’s mind but he quickly shook his head. “How about you?”</p>
<p>“I’m not gay,” Baekhyun glared at his friend.</p>
<p>“You can’t know until you kiss a guy…” Himchan said, grinning. “…or a girl…” he commented, causing the younger to blush. Himchan always loved making fun of Baekhyun’s virginity and the fact that he hasn’t had his first kiss yet.</p>
<p>“I take you under my roof, feed you and that’s the reward I get? Unbelievable!” Baekhyun said, glaring at his friend. Of course, he was joking but there was a hint of sadness in his voice.</p>
<p>“I love you!” Himchan hugged his friend, chuckling.</p>
<p>“Get off me you pervert!” Baekhyun laughed as he pushed his friend away.</p>
<p>After their morning routine, the two enjoyed a delicious breakfast prepared by Baekhyun’s mother and then headed off to school; both dressed fancily in their school uniforms. On their way, they met with the third member of their squad and so the ‘unholy trinity’ went towards the school.</p>
<p>♦</p>
<p>The three split as soon as they arrived at the school, each going to their own schedules. Himchan headed towards art class, Seungri had maths and Baekhyun headed towards the chemistry lab. The latter wasn’t a big fan of chemistry but he didn’t dread the class either, he was just not very much into it. Still, he was a good student and tried to understand more.</p>
<p>The class was halfway full by the time he entered and he took his usual seat in the middle row. More students arrived, some excited about this class while others with visible anxiety. Then, there was Chanyeol in all of his sleepy glory. He looked like he just got out of bed, with frizzy hair and a very tired look on his face but even now you couldn’t deny that he looked really hot. There was something about him that made you stare at him and wonder how one could be this perfect. Even Baekhyun looked at him entering the class and to his surprise –and horror- Chanyeol looked back at him. Baekhyun shifted his eyes as quickly as he could and prayed to God that Chanyeol would just ignore him.</p>
<p>Luckily for him, the teacher entered the classroom not long after Chanyeol and started his lesson. Baekhyun turned his head slowly and noticed that Chanyeol was in the back of the class, being more focused on his phone rather than his classmates. He sighed relieved, mentally thanking God for his Divine intervention. Since the incident in the principal’s office, the mutual dislike between them grew but thankfully now they were just ignoring each other rather than bickering all the time.</p>
<p>The lesson started off pretty fine, with the teacher explaining some stuff and Baekhyun writing down everything like the good kid he was. Then, the teacher started dividing them into pairs as they were about to conduct some small but very interesting experiments.</p>
<p>“Byun Baekhyun and Park Chanyeol,” the teacher called out causing Baekhyun’s eyes to open wide. He gulped, looking towards the taller male heading towards his work desk, a devious smirk upon his lips. Instinctively, the smaller male looked up as if he was asking God why all of this was happening to him.</p>
<p>“Hello there, Church boy,” Chanyeol said, his deep voice causing Baekhyun to tremble. Still, the latter wanted to keep his composure and acted like this didn’t affect him.</p>
<p>“My name is Baekhyun,” he stated with a cold tone, not even bothering to look at the taller male. “Idiot…” he then muttered loud enough for Chanyeol to hear. He swore that the growl the other produced was something animalistic –and undoubtedly very hot.</p>
<p>“I’d be careful, my wrath might be bigger than God’s,” Chanyeol commented in that low –and sexy- tone of his that brought shivers down Baekhyun’s spine. The latter knew he should feel like this but there was something about Park Chanyeol that made him bite his bottom lip. Of course, he did it without the giant noticing it, otherwise, he wouldn’t hear the end of it.</p>
<p>“I’ll take my chances,” Baekhyun said, turning towards Chanyeol and smirking.</p>
<p>The teacher then began explaining the assignment and the little experiment that the students had to do. The materials and everything the boys needed was on the worktable in front of them but so far neither of them touched anything. Baekhyun took his time putting on his lab coat, gloves, and glasses –all provided by the school- dreading the moment he’ll actually have to work with the dumb Chanyeol. How briefly looked at the tall guy, noticing how even the big lab coat looked small on his built physique; he shook his head, casting away any weird thought that he might have had.</p>
<p>Nothing happened. While the other students were already working together, the two just stood there awkwardly looking at the work table, no one moving an inch. Chanyeol pretended to read the assignment as he was stealing glances of Baekhyun while the latter just didn’t want to be the first to break the ice. He even pondered of asking the teacher to change his partner but he was doubtful that his wish would be granted.</p>
<p>It was Chanyeol who started, following the instructions written on the sheet as closely as he could. He poured water in the container and then was about to pour the solution in when Baekhyun’s voice halted him.</p>
<p>“What are you doing?” Baekhyun seemed panicked. “Are you trying to fail the class?”</p>
<p>“What the hell are you talking about?” Chanyeol was annoyed. “The instructions are clear! It says here to pour the solution in the water…”</p>
<p>“There’s way too much water there and it says clearly that it has to be heated to 50 degrees Celsius!” the smaller male retorted with an annoyed tone. “Can you do anything right?”</p>
<p>“Look who’s talking, the one that didn’t do anything yet! Are you done putting on those gloves, princess?”</p>
<p>The teacher shushed them, telling them to focus on the experiment, not the bickering. Baekhyun sighed and then picked up a beaker, measuring the exact amount of water needed. He then heated it up, under the judging eyes of Chanyeol. Then, as the smaller male picked up the beaker with the thongs, Chanyeol picked up the solution vile and gently poured it in. Both smiled as the water changed colors.</p>
<p>The two slowly begun talking and for the first time, they were civil around each other. The experiment was a bit tricky as they needed to figure out the order of which they needed to pour the other ingredients but Baekhyun discovered that Chanyeol was pretty good at chemistry and actually knew what he was talking about. So, Baekhyun let Chanyeol guide him through everything, sharing opinions when they happened to disagree on something; they didn’t raise their voice at each other once or called each other names. Soon, they were almost done; all they needed to do was pour another solution in, this time a very powerful acid.</p>
<p>“Be careful,” Chanyeol’s voice brought shivers to Baekhyun’s back. “This stuff could really hurt you if you drop it on your skin so handle with care,” he continued, getting closer to the desk, to see the solution’s reaction to the acid.</p>
<p>Baekhyun poured gently, being careful not to screw everything up. The solution started bubbling gently, the same did his blood when he realized that Chanyeol was basically hovering above him. He never noticed it before but Chanyeol smelled incredibly good, not only the light –but affective and deeply masculine- perfume he was wearing but something else, something Baekhyun didn’t experience before. He inhaled deeply, just in time for Chanyeol to cheer happily as the experiment ended with success. He shuddered, still holding the flask of acid tightly in his hand; his head was spinning.</p>
<p>A few moments later the class ended and Baekhyun simply bolted out of there without saying another word. His face was red as a tomato and he was sweating uncontrollably; he didn’t know what was happening to his body but even his pants seemed to be awfully strained right now. He went straight to the bathroom in order to cool down, not knowing that Chanyeol watched him leave, smiling at his sight.</p>
<p>♦</p>
<p>With his classes done, Seungri went to the school’s pool area in order to cool down and swim a few laps. He had to go to work in about two hours so he didn’t plan on going home but instead train a bit. The school day was a bit stressful as the teachers started demanding more and the assignments kept coming. It was also announced that a couple of preliminary quizzes would be given the following week, only adding to the stress. So, it was no wonder Seungri just wanted to get into the water and take a dip, forgetting about everything just momentarily.</p>
<p>He swam faster and faster, up until the point his muscles were hurting and he needed a rest. He reached the edge of the pool, taking a deep breath and resting for a little while. He heard something behind him, someone approaching, so he turned his head. He didn’t have the chance to see anything because right in the next second a hand grabbed his head tightly and pushed him down into the water. The brunet grew panicked as the water was entering his mouth and nose and struggled to get free from the grip but it was no use. He was running out of air and right now he feared for his life. He kept struggling but it was no use, whoever was keeping his underwater was stronger than him. He opened his eyes to see who it was but it was no use, he couldn’t see anything.</p>
<p>He tried grabbing the hand but this failed as well and he was feeling himself starting to lose consciousness. Suddenly, it stopped and with a last heap of power, Seungri was able to get out of the water. He was coughing violently, his mouth, throat, and nostrils burning from all the chlorinated water he swallowed. He looked around but there was no one in the room with him. His heart was pounding and his chest was heaving as he was desperately trying to catch his breath. He laid there motionless for a few minutes before he could actually move and when he did he went straight to the locker room in order to change. He was in a complete state of shock and was wondering who was sadistic enough to try such a thing?</p>
<p>At the same time, behind the school in the parking lot, Kwon Jiyong was crying while holding one of his hands. His shirt was completely soaked in water and his body was shaking violently. Minutes ago he was in the school pool area, watching from a distance as Seungri was pushing himself, swimming with a speed greater than before. He didn’t know what came over him; maybe it was the jealously that Seungri was faster than him, or maybe it was all because of everything that happened to Dami that triggered everything but as soon as he saw Seungri resting, he pushed his head underwater. He wasn’t thinking straight at that moment, he lost every rational thought that he had and just wanted to see the other underwater, struggling for his life.</p>
<p>When he finally came to his senses, he stopped immediately. He didn’t wait to see what happened to the brunet, he just ran out of there straight to his car, just like a mad man. Now he was wondering what happened but he was too scared to go back inside the school, especially in this state.</p>
<p>Millions of questions were echoing through his head, wondering if he hurt the brunet, or worse. Tears followed as he thought of the consequences this had if Seungri managed to see him. He was shaking and crying inside of his car thinking of the worst possible scenarios. He felt like he was going insane.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>A few months later...</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong></strong>
  
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thoughts?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>16 Hours Earlier</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Mr. Kwon, the undoubted kingpin of Seoul’s business world, has just arrived home from another productive yet stressful day of work. He had tons of meetings and so that meant listening to stupid people talk shit for hours –as if they knew how to handle business. He was a skillful businessman and could make money out of everything. That’s how he built the empire and that’s how he maintains it. Of course, he had a lot of enemies but neither of them was powerful enough to bring him down. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The driver of the sleek black car just pulled into the parking lot of the Kwon family villa and the opulent man that Mr. Kwon was just got out and headed towards the entrance, admiring the beauty of the villa’s yard. Upon entering the mansion, he wasn’t greeted by the maids as he was used to but by his own son, Jiyong, who had a very sour expression on his face. His eyes glared with such darkness, you could tell he was very upset. While he got his looks from his mother’s side, he inherited his temper from his father meaning that when he was angry, hell broke loose. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Can I change first?” Mr. Kwon asked with a serious tone while he was glaring at his son as well. He knew what this was about, Jiyong called him the entire day, and he really didn’t want to have this conversation now. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jiyong didn’t say anything but his glares were talking more than ever. His father proceeded to go up the stairs and Jiyong followed, without a single word spoken yet. The mogul knew that sooner or later he’ll have to have this conversation with his beloved son so instead of going into the main bedroom, he went to his office. He entered and Jiyong followed, still as silent and angry as ever. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“So tell me, what have I done this time to anger your majesty?” Mr. Kwon asked in a sarcastic tone. Jiyong was uptight, he knew that and he took responsibility for his son’s behavior; he spoiled him way too much. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>However, this comment seemed to anger Jiyong even more; if he could shoot lasers through his eyes, his father’s head would’ve been obliterated by now. “Are you really going to pretend that you’ve done nothing wrong?” Jiyong asked his tone of voice very angry and very loud. Luckily the office was soundproof so no one from outside could hear what’s going on. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I didn’t,” Mr. Kwon was stern in his answers. He headed towards the small bar –disguised as a globe as most rich people had- and poured himself a glass of strong whiskey. Then, he headed towards his desk, leaning on it and looking at Jiyong. “It’s my house, I think I can reorganize the rooms as I want.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“It’s Dami’s room!” Jiyong argued, already had tears in his eyes. Jiyong was a very emotional-driven person and when he was angry he usually cried. “Are you already over her death? Are you that cold-hearted?" </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“The only cold-hearted one was her,” his father said, after drinking from the glass. His tone was calm though inside anger was building up too. “She neglected the family and ditched us and you’re still treating her like some kind of deity? Unbelievable!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She didn’t ditch us!” Jiyong argued. “She loved us!” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Loved us? Oh, my boy, you’re so very wrong about this! The only thing she loved was that good for nothing pauper and his drugs! She was addicted to whatever that guy was selling! That’s what those paupers are doing the whole day, they’re selling drugs and filling this city with violence,” Mr. Kwon said with an obvious serious tone. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She wasn’t addicted! You’re lying!” Jiyong said, tears falling from his eyes. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I asked her to stay, I really did. That night she left, I really asked her to stay but she refused. I asked her to think of you but she didn’t listen to me, she said she hates us all and doesn’t want to see us again. That’s when I slapped her,” he paused, looking at Jiyong. “I regret it now, I deeply regret it.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“S-She said she would never abandon me…” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I’m sorry, son. I know you’re trying to keep her memory alive but I don’t think it’s worth it. Your sister didn’t love you, she hated all of us and she chose dangerous strangers instead of family,” he paused, watching Jiyong’s reaction; he could tell he was angry but he was trying to control himself. “I’ll transform that room whether you like it or not, it’s a painful memory for me and for the whole family. If there is anything that you need from her room, you’re free to take them otherwise I will throw them away. I know you don’t like this but you should accept the truth.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jiyong didn’t say anything; he just nodded and left the room as quickly as he could. Choking on his tears, he went to his room and fell on the bed. His father just told him that his sister, his darling sister grew to hate him. She loved that pauper more than her family. He didn’t know what to believe anymore, he cried the entire night, recalling the beautiful memories he had with his sister. Was that the truth? </em>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Present</strong>
</p>
<p>10 minutes ago, Jiyong almost killed someone in a fit of rage. The victim was Seungri, one of the new kids from the school, a pauper as the rich kids called those less financially fortunate. He didn’t know what came over him. He completely lost it and as soon as he saw Seungri swimming, he thought of nothing else than hurting him. Was it all pent up rage due to Dami’s death or was he slowly descending into madness?</p>
<p>He was in his car, sobbing uncontrollably and wondering if he was going insane. The truth was that he was actually jealous of Seungri because that brat was better than him at swimming and that he got that scholarship like it was nothing. He was a low-life, poor person, one that doesn’t belong to this world but was Jiyong willing to go to such extreme lengths to show his disgust? Was it fair? Seungri certainly didn’t have anything to do with Dami’s death but at that point, Jiyong didn’t care.</p>
<p>Luckily common sense won and Jiyong stopped before it was too late. He ran out of there as fast as he could and now he was locked in his car, crying behind tinted windows as he was recalling the events in his mind. He realized what he did was very messed up and hoped that no one –especially Seungri- saw him.</p>
<p>He stopped crying and managed to relax after about half an hour. He sighed deeply as he started the car and went straight home and upon arriving there he locked himself in his room; he felt like he was going insane.  </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>The atmosphere around Park residence was a far calmer one, totally opposite of the drama the Kwon's were going through. The family was also very different than the Kwon's, meaning they were more humble and down to earth people. There was drama in every family and most of the time it was caused by the rebellious Park Chanyeol who couldn’t help getting into trouble. From underage drinking to riding his motorcycle at outrageous speeds, Chanyeol has done it all. He was a rebel, a free spirit, a teenager that loved adventures and rushes of adrenaline. He was the bad boy type and he truly lived up to his title.</p>
<p>Though his behavior wasn’t the best, his parents always forgave his antics. Being a rebellious kid was part of their development so they let him get away with some of his wrongdoings. Still, when the police showed up with fines at their doorstep, Chanyeol was severely scolded and even grounded. Through the years he improved and actually managed to tone down his attitude but deep down he was still a bad boy; that will never change.</p>
<p>“You wanted to see me?” Chanyeol asked as he entered the home office of his father. The latter asked to see him and it sounded urgent.</p>
<p>“Yes. Sit down,” his father said with a stern tone. Chanyeol obeyed, sitting down on the chair that faced his father’s desk. “What’s happening to you? Are you doing ok?”</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Chanyeol asked confused. He looked at his father and he couldn’t tell if he was angry at him or concerned.</p>
<p>“I tolerated your antics for a long time but I think it’s time to draw a line. What happened a few days at school was an act of bullying and I can’t support that. I didn’t raise a bully and I will severely punish you if I catch you tormenting the new students. Is that the image you want to display?”</p>
<p>“I…I…He just got on my nerves,” Chanyeol defended himself. “He thinks he’s so much better than anyone and has the right to correct my English.”</p>
<p>“So that’s why you resumed to bullying, because of your ego?” His father raised a brow, looking at his son with a curious expression.</p>
<p>“It was a mistake, I am sorry and it won’t happen again,” Chanyeol said, looking down. The truth was that he wasn’t really regretting messing up with Baekhyun but he had to show a bit of remorse to his father.</p>
<p>“I hope it won’t,” his father was smiling, though he was not very convinced.</p>
<p>“Can I go now? I have a date with Jennie.”</p>
<p>“One more thing,” his father said in a serious tone. “I noticed your grades are dropping and it’s concerning. I won’t allow you to slack off on your studies so I urge you to pay more attention to school. If your grades are still going to drop, I’ll appoint you a tutor.”</p>
<p>“Whatever,” Chanyeol said, getting up from the chair. “Have a good day, father.”</p>
<p>“You too, and don’t do anything stupid,” his father said but Chanyeol was already out the door. The man sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.</p>
<p>The principal than opened up his laptop and logged in to the school site, checking the grades of several students; the holy trinity’s in particular. He smiled, seeing that despite everything, they were doing well in school.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>It was a clear fact that Yongguk wasn’t like most teenagers his age and status. For starters, he was smarter than most of them and loved cultivating his culture by reading difficult books, watching documentaries, and exploring different areas. He dabbled with sports, music, and arts and began doing a little bit of everything in his free time; he preferred this rather than wasting time and doing nothing. Sure, he still hung out with his friends, played videogames, and did whatever a normal teenager did but there were times when he simply loved to stay in and paint or play music.</p>
<p>He was the brooding genius type, immersing himself in his art, and forgetting everything that was stressing him out. Today was one of these days. As soon as he came home from school, he went into the art studio and started working on something. At first, he drew a few black and red stripes on the canvas with no real project in mind but as he was continuing, the painting started taking shape.</p>
<p>Another thing he enjoyed was solitude and he asked specifically not to be disturbed unless a family member is looking for him. The door to the studio suddenly opened revealing not a family member but Roseanne, his girlfriend who ignored the entire maid staff’s words and proceeded to disturb the artist.</p>
<p>“Gukkie!” she said in a sweet tone. Yongguk paused, his brush stopping in the middle of the motion, and turned around to face her. He wasn’t exactly thrilled to see her but he didn’t kick her out or anything. “I missed you!” she pouted as he went towards him, eventually hugging him.</p>
<p>“We talked when I got off school,” Yongguk said matter-of-factly. He didn’t let go of the brush or palette so he didn’t hug her but when he leaned for a kiss, he gently –and briefly- kissed her.</p>
<p>“Let’s go on a date! We haven’t been on one in such a long time,” she said, still pouting as she hoped to get the best results.</p>
<p>“I’m working on something now but I am free on the weekend,” Yongguk said in a calm tone. He really didn’t want to go out with her right now –or in the near future. It’s not like he didn’t enjoy his company but all she ever talked about was social media, how many likes she got on her pictures, and how she is becoming very popular; Yongguk didn’t give a crap about her popularity.</p>
<p>“You always say no to my requests,” she whined as she clanged to his body. “Why are you so mean?” she whined some more and pouted; she had the personality of a 5-year-old.</p>
<p>“I’m not in the mood Rosie,” Yongguk said in a dead-serious tone of voice, his deep voice echoing through the room. “Some other time, ok?”</p>
<p>“No! I want to go now!!!”</p>
<p>She started pushing and pulling at his shirt, trying to get him to come with her. She kept whining and Yongguk kept stumbling backward and refusing. This went on for about a minute until Yongguk had enough of her antics.</p>
<p>“Stop acting like a spoiled brat!” Yongguk said in a louder than usual tone, his anger was building up and it won’t be pretty if this continues. “I want to be alone and paint right now,” he continued in a much calmer tone.</p>
<p>“You’re actually choosing your stupid paintings over me?” she snapped back at him, anger obvious in her tone of voice. “Really, Yongguk?”</p>
<p>“I want to paint,” Yongguk said with a sigh.</p>
<p>She took a deep breath but that didn’t help her anger go down one bit. She glared at him and then turned around to leave but before she did that, she picked up one of the small vials of paint Yongguk had around the art studio and opened it. With no second to spare –and no remorse- she threw the vile directly at the canvas, staining the whole project Yongguk was working on. The latter’s eyes went wide, shocked by what he just witnessed. Roseanne ran out of the room as quickly as ever, a wise decision considering he made Yongguk’s blood boil with anger.</p>
<p>Yongguk released a loud growl, then looked at the ruined canvas and groaned loudly again. In a fit of rage, he threw the whole easel to the ground, completely destroying the canvas. He was fuming.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comment?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Monday</strong>
</p>
<p>It’s been a few days since the incident that almost ended Seungri’s life and the latter was feeling a bit better. He still didn’t know what the hell happened back there or who tried to drown him. The experience was definitely scary but if one thinks that he’ll quit swimming because of that, they’re wrong. Sure, he took a few days off from getting near the pool; he wasn’t feeling comfortable as flashbacks of that incident were replying constantly in his mind.</p>
<p>He didn’t report the incident to anyone, he hasn’t even told his colleagues. The only people who knew were his friends and despite them urging him to report this, he won’t do it. Why? Because he is sure that nothing would be done. Firstly, there are no CCTV cameras in the pool area. Secondly, there were dozens of pupils going in and out of that area so gathering a suspect list was as hard as you’d imagine. Even if the suspect was found, Seungri doubted that anyone would believe him. He was an outsider, a pauper that didn’t belong in that rich world. So, rather than creating a scandal that would give him more notoriety, he preferred keeping his mouth shut and be more vigilant the next days. If this keeps up, he will tell someone but for now, he decided to keep quiet. He took a few days off, as expected but now he was feeling better and ready to get into the water, in fact, he kind of missed it.</p>
<p>“I can’t believe you’re not saying anything,” Himchan said, as the three made their way through the school halls. “I’d be suing their asses by now.”</p>
<p>“No one would believe him,” Baekhyun said, with a serious tone. “Besides, these rich fuckers are good at hiding their dirt.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but he could’ve drowned!” Himchan argued.</p>
<p>“Stop talking about it,” Seungri said with a loud sigh. “I am fine, really. I will be more vigilant next time.”</p>
<p>“Hopefully there won’t be a next time,” Baekhyun said with a smile.</p>
<p>“Sue them if something like that happens again,” Himchan said, crossing his arms, causing his two friends to laugh loudly.</p>
<p>“Okay, <strong>Annalise Keating</strong><sup>1</sup>,” Seungri laughed.</p>
<p>The three then headed towards the same directions, as they had a joint English class once again. Upon entering the class they all took their usual seats and waited for the teacher to enter so the class could begin. The atmosphere in the class wasn’t as awkward as they were used to but some of the pupils were still giving them unfriendly looks but they weren’t really bothered at this point, they grew to ignore them.</p>
<p>The professor entered but he wasn’t alone, in fact, he was joined by the principal. The principal then told them he had a special announcement to make and that the students should pay attention to what he was saying so obviously, the entire class focus was on what he was about to say.</p>
<p>“As many of you know, this prestigious school participates regularly in an event called ‘Teen Fest’. For those asking what this event is, I will explain right away. Teen Fest is an annual competition held between several private all-boy schools from across the country. It’s a special event to us as we were among the first to join and actually win the completion for a few years. Last year we came in second but I am sure that this year we will be the first,” the principal said with a smile. The students all listened and then a murmur of whispers was heard. “The competition consists of three main events: a quiz contest, a sporting event, and a talent show. Participation is totally voluntary but there will be perks like extra credit if you decide to sign up. We have about one month to prepare and I hope to see many of you sign up and represent our school.”</p>
<p>Some students seemed to be really excited, cheering when the principal stopped talking, others just didn’t seem interested and some just didn’t know what all this excitement is about. The unholy trinity was part of the latter category as they didn’t really know what’s going on, they never heard of such thing but the principal made it sound very interesting.</p>
<p>They weren’t keen on joining, not at first but their interest grew when they heard of extra credit on certain classes. It would be nice to be among the first students, grade-wise, so a little help was very welcome. It was not like they were doing a poor job, they actually had decent grades but there was always room for improvement. After the class, the three along with other students immediately went for the sign-up sheets. Seungri chose sports –swimming, as expected, Himchan opted for the quiz competition and Baekhyun picked the talent show. A bunch of other students signed in as well, all very interested in the events –and obviously in the extra credits. Of course, not all will have the opportunity to participate as there will be certain pre-selections and it was obvious that everyone will give their best to represent their school in this Teen Fest.</p>
<p>
  <strong>Wednesday</strong>
</p>
<p>Dozens, maybe even hundreds of students signed up by the different activities, and the pre-selections were beginning. Students were all very excited, determined to do their best in order to get selected for the Teen Fest categories. The pre-selections started early in the morning and were taking place all over the school. The coordinators wanted to see prepared and determined students, eager to represent their school in this amazing contest. It was a great way for students to showcase their talents and skills, practice their knowledge, and have fun.</p>
<p>The talent show auditions were held in the school’s auditorium, a room that was primarily used during important announcements and other festivities, like the year-end one. The room was impressive in size, and the sound in it was great, making for a perfect venue for this type of audition. A lot of people signed up to showcase their talent so they were divided into three categories: singing, dancing, and others.</p>
<p>Baekhyun signed up for the singing and upon entering the impressive room, he was regretting his decision. It was definitely a scary experience as he has never done this before. Of course, he sang in front of a crowd, he was a choir boy growing up –more or less obligated by his father- but nothing compared to this. He sighed deeply as he headed towards the stage in the middle of the room.</p>
<p>He got up on stage, his heart racing in his chest, and bowed politely at the three people that were watching him with stern looks; the art teacher, the music teacher, and principal Park. He stated his name and the song he was going to sing and then sighed deeply; filling his lungs with air that he exhaled the next second.</p>
<p>He closed his eyes and started singing, causing the three ‘judges’ to immediately raise their eyebrows in surprise. They didn’t expect Baekhyun to have such a beautiful mellow voice and such a sweet tone. He was singing softly, articulating every note and showing off his vocal skills –which were not perfect but after 12 years of Church hymns, they were quite polished. He didn’t open his eyes for a moment, completely immersed into the song and the lyrics, he overcame his emotions, and now he was singing out of pure pleasure. With a quite risky –but well sang- high note he ended the performance and the three judges started clapping for him. He smiled and bowed politely once again.</p>
<p>The judges didn’t say much just that the results will be posted soon and that he did a great job. He bowed once again thanking the professors and then exited out of the room as quickly as he could, almost bumping into the next competitor, Park Chanyeol who just entered the room, holding a guitar case in one of his hands.</p>
<p>The latter was more or less forced by his father to participate in something. Chanyeol liked sports but he didn’t feel like participating this year and that really angered his father who wanted his son to excel in something. After a lot of arguments and talks, Chanyeol finally agreed to participate in the talent show. He played guitar since he was 7 or 8 and in all those years he got pretty good at it. When puberty hit, he started losing interest in music and focused more on the wild side of his personality, the troublemaker side, but he still picked up his guitar every once in a while and sang; it relaxed him. He had a good singing voice as well, a deep tone that had a unique sexiness to it and attracted girls and guys alike –much like his voice.</p>
<p>He wasn’t nervous or anything so he confidently walked on stage and presented himself and the song he was going to sing. He saw his father smiling –<em>the fucker</em>, he thought as he opened his guitar case, drew out his precious guitar and without another second to spare, he began singing. The rhythm was nice once and the bland of his voice and guitar notes was perfect. He didn’t sing in a while but it didn’t show as he did it as professionally as he could, knowing that his father will be nuts if he does a half-ass job. He was done in no time and received applauses as well. He bowed politely and without another word he exited the room; he hoped he wouldn’t be selected.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>The physics lab was the perfect place for the quiz pre-selection to be held. Himchan entered confidently through the doors, looking around a bit surprised by the number of students that signed up. He didn’t think these many students were interested in a quiz show but it seemed that about 50 of them signed up. He spotted a few familiar faces in the crowd but the one that stood out the most was Bang Yongguk.</p>
<p>People expected Yongguk to join the talent show but it seemed that the latter was more interested to train his brain this year. He didn’t feel like singing this year, he did it last year and the result was quite underwhelming as the crowd didn’t seem to like his anti-political rap. So, this year he was, hopefully, going to represent the school in the quiz team which was quite a tough competition. Still, he was a smart guy; he wasn’t called Genius Bang for nothing. He was good at learning and memorizing stuff so this should be a piece of cake.</p>
<p>For Himchan things aren’t that easy, sure he was a smart guy and knew different stuff but lately things in his life were kind of haywire. Still, he thought that maybe this will provide the much-needed distraction he yearns for. He used to learn things easily and liked documenting himself on different topics so this should be too hard.</p>
<p>After everyone showed up, the teacher coordinating this –the math teacher, not surprising at all- told them that he is looking for the four brightest of students in order to form a killer team. For that, he prepared a hard test, and for one to get on the team, they needed to score at least 95%.</p>
<p>This was no easy feat as the questions ranged in difficulty and field. There were questions from math, biology, geography, and pretty much every field you can imagine so it was clear that not many will pass. The students sat down and the test was ready to begin.</p>
<p>“I have to say I didn’t expect you to be here,” Yongguk said, sitting down right next to Himchan though there were plenty of spaces left in the classroom. “You don’t really look like a nerd,” he joked, smiling.</p>
<p>“Neither do you,” Himchan chuckled.</p>
<p>“Well, I guess people tend to surprise you.”</p>
<p>“You have no idea,” Himchan smiled.</p>
<p>“Good luck,” Yongguk said, flashing a smirk.</p>
<p>“You too,” Himchan replied.</p>
<p>The quiz was horrendous, to say the least. The questions were hard and most of the students abandoned it halfway. If the quiz competition will be like that, things might not turn out as good as Himchan hoped. He looked over at Yongguk during the test, seeing how –freaking hot- focused he looked. He kept writing and writing, and Himchan felt like spacing out when he watched him. However, as fun it was to gawk at the guy, Himchan needed to finish up his paper so he went to work. He felt being watched a few times and after a while, his eyes met with Yongguk who was looking at him. They smiled at each other and went back to work; Himchan started sweating.</p>
<p>Himchan managed to finish the test and he hoped he did a good job. He didn’t expect a big grade; in fact, he didn’t know what he expected since he was convinced he wouldn’t get in. Yongguk on the other hand seemed relaxed and walked out of the class as cool as ever, waving at Himchan as he exited. The latter sighed and went to the bathroom immediately, feeling the need to splash some water on his reddening cheeks.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Seungri was the last to try-out for the swimming team. The pre-selections were held at the pool area –obviously- and only by entering the area made the small hairs on Seungri’s neck stand up. He felt shivers up and down his body as he remembered that incident and for a moment he wanted to turn back and leave. He stopped for a moment and sighed deeply before continuing, not ready to give in to fear and uncertainty.</p>
<p>As expected, the whole team was there and upon entering, all eyes were on him. He missed a few sessions, claiming he had some problems and needed to recover. He wasn’t lying; he had to deal with the psychological shock that that incident provoked. Still, he decided to be brave and not let this scare him. Some of the looks he received were warm, others were glares but he didn’t mind them. One look that surprised him was Jiyong’s, he looked a bit perplexed. Jiyong didn’t look at him much, he quickly avoided his eyes like he almost always did.</p>
<p>The coach welcomed Seungri, asking him if he felt better, to which the younger nodded and smiled. Then, the pre-selections began and the swimmers were ready to give all they got as only the top three swimmers will be chosen. One by one, each student went into the water and gave their best as the coach was timing them. The times remained secret for now, they will be revealed soon.</p>
<p>Seungri felt better once he was in the water and swam as fast as he could. He didn’t care about anything else at this moment, and though his muscles burned with ache, he pushed forward and kept going. He was really determined.</p>
<p>“Are you feeling okay?” Jiyong asked, all of a sudden as Seungri was heading back to change after he was done. The brunet seemed to be heading the same way as well. “You missed a few days,” he asked again, a concerned tone detectable in his voice.</p>
<p>“Y-Yeah, a lot better,” Seungri replied, smiling towards Jiyong. If he only knew he was smiling to the one that tried to drown him. “My body hurts all over now,” he continued with a chuckle.</p>
<p>“You did well,” Jiyong said, going towards his locker.</p>
<p>
  <strong>Friday</strong>
</p>
<p>At noon, the results have been posted, and almost immediately a small army of students ‘attacked’ the panel, each curious of the result. The ‘unholy’ trinity was among them and upon taking a look at the result sheets, collective gasps were heard.</p>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>Talent Show</strong></p>
<p><strong>(Singing)</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p><strong>Quiz Team</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p><strong>Sport</strong></p>
<p><strong>(Swimming)</strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>Byun Baekhyun</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>Bang Yongguk (98%)</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>Kwon Jiyong</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>Park Chanyeol</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>Kim Himchan (97%)</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>Lee Seunghyun</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2">
<p> </p>
</td>
<td>
<p>Son Hyunwoo (96%)</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>Jung Daehyun</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>Kang Hyunggu (95%)</p>
</td>
<td>
<p> </p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<hr/>
<p>1 - <strong>Annalise Keating -  fictional character in the legal drama series <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Get_Away_with_Murder">How to Get Away with Murder</a></em>.</strong></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comments?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The pre-selection results were definitely surprising but it seemed that the ‘unholy trinity’ was really taken aback. Not only that they didn’t expect to get chosen, but they were among the first ones on the lists, showing that they got really high scores. After the initial shock, they looked at each other and smiled, both curious and excited for the competition. They always liked taking part in all kinds of activities so who knows, maybe this will really be fun.</p><p>A few moments later, the principal’s voice was heard through the intercom telling everyone that was on the list to head to their respective departments and talk to the representative teachers for further instruction. The three looked at each other and then they split off in three different directions.</p><p>*</p><p>Baekhyun made his way towards the west wing of the school, where the art and music department was situated. He almost got lost in the immensity of the department but fortunately, he found the right door and entered slowly. He didn’t find the teacher there; instead, there was Chanyeol.</p><p>He greeted politely, he may dislike Chanyeol but he was educated enough to say hello when he enters a room, and then sat down at the opposite end of the room. Chanyeol greeted him back, short and with a mumbling tone, and then his attention went back to his phone. There was a bit of tension in the room, normal judging by their brief history. No one said anything but Baekhyun observed that Chanyeol had his eyes on him constantly –even though the latter pretended to be more interested in his phone.</p><p>Finally, the grueling silence was broken when the coordinating teacher entered the class, a broad smile on her face. She was a seemingly nice middle-aged woman with a calm voice and personality. She started by congratulating the two and saying that she was impressed with their talent and was sure that this year they’ll win. She seemed to be really excited, even more, excited than Chanyeol and Baekhyun.</p><p>“I already have my song, Ms. Shin. Can I leave?” Chanyeol said, interrupting her speech about choosing a song and performing in front of a crowd. Her sunny personality and looks darkened as she glared at Chanyeol.</p><p>“Not so fast, Chanyeol. I was just about to tell you something very important,” she said in a stern voice. Then, she took a deep breath, and with her usual lovely voice, she continued, “I was truly surprised by you two. Both of you showed extraordinary talent and I think rather than sending two good acts, we send an extraordinary one. I propose a duet, it was never done but I think you two will do a marvelous job.”</p><p>“A duet?” both Chanyeol and Baekhyun replied in unison. Then, they looked at each other and spoke, again in unison, “with him?”</p><p>“Yes. I even talked with the principal and he too thinks this is an amazing idea,” she said with a smile. The two pupils weren’t smiling as much.</p><p>“What if I don’t want to work with him?” Chanyeol asked, his cold tone causing shivers up and down Baekhyun’s body.</p><p>“I’m not really excited either,” Baekhyun shot back, glaring at the taller male.</p><p>“Try putting your differences aside and work together,” the teacher said with a serious tone and expression. “I expect a song by the end of the week. If you can’t find common ground until then, you’re both out of the competition and there will be consequences,” she said and then left the classroom.</p><p>Both Baekhyun and Chanyeol watched in horror as the teacher left the classroom after her dreadful decision. Then, they looked at each other for about ten seconds, trying to figure out how they’ll manage to work together; they were literally polar opposites of each other and on top of that they didn’t like each other too much. Chanyeol cursed under his breath, Baekhyun did too but not vocally because he was a good Christian boy. The elder sighed deeply and then got up, his tall figure heading towards the much smaller teenager. Baekhyun watched as Chanyeol approached, wondering of his intentions. Chanyeol stopped in front of Baekhyun and got out his phone, handing it to Baekhyun.</p><p>“Type in your number. I’ll text you my address so we can meet and discuss this shit…” Chanyeol said with a calm tone. Baekhyun looked at him for a few seconds and with shaky hands, he grabbed the phone and slowly typed in his number. After that, Chanyeol left the class but Baekhyun continued to stay there, confused and wondering what the hell did he get into.</p><p>*</p><p>Himchan entered confidently into the physics lab and discovered that everyone, except the teacher, was already there, talking about the competition. He said hello and was greeted back pleasantly, Yongguk even offering him a small smile. He joined in the conversation, meeting the other two team-mates Hyunwoo and Hyunggu, and already liking their personalities. Hyunwoo seemed to be the kindest man alive while Hyunggu seemed really excited about this whole competition. Yongguk wasn’t talking much, looking at the three and nodding with whatever they were saying.</p><p>The coordinating teacher entered a few moments later carrying a bunch of files in his hands. The four students sat down, and for some reason, Yongguk sat right next to Himchan, like the last time at the pre-selection quiz. The teacher congratulated them on their intellect and eagerness to participate in this project.</p><p>The teacher placed the big pile of files on the desk with a loud thud, then turned towards the students and smiled. “Behind me are the quiz competition questions and answers. There are 16 categories, each containing 100 questions for you to memorize. The categories range from sports to science and art, a little something for everyone. You may choose four categories that you’re comfortable with and you should study them meticulously. Easy, right?”</p><p>“Piece of cake,” Yongguk said, quite sarcastically. Himchan looked at him and chuckled.</p><p>“I want to meet you every week to check on your progress so please start learning as soon as possible. So, without any further ado, I invite you all to pick your favorite genre and start learning.”</p><p>The four went towards the desk almost simultaneously and each picked whatever they desired. There wasn’t much of a fight since everyone had their individual preferences. Himchan picked chemistry, physics, math and biology, the four subjects he loved and was good at. Yongguk picked literature, art, music, and film while the other two picked the rest of the categories.</p><p>The teacher then left but not before wishing everyone good luck. The four kept browsing through the mountains of questions and answers and suddenly the competition wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be. After a bit of browsing and talking, Hyunwoo and Hyunggu left the room, with the other two preparing to leave as well.</p><p>“Do you want to study together?” Yongguk asked Himchan just as the latter was packing up. “We could ask each other questions and learned everything at a quicker pace,” he continued, seeing as Himchan didn’t seem to be very convinced.</p><p>“Uhm…well…okay…” Himchan was a bit taken aback since the relationship between Yongguk and him wasn’t the warmest.</p><p>“Give me your number so we can arrange a meeting,” Yongguk said as he approached Himchan, getting out his phone from the front pocket of his pants and handing it to the younger.</p><p>“O-Okay…” Himchan took the phone and typed in his number, his hands shaking uncontrollably.</p><p>“I’ll call you,” Yongguk smiled. “Stop blushing like that,” he added, silently but louder enough for the younger to hear as he walked past him and out of the room.</p><p>Himchan’s eyes widened as he immediately took out his own phone and opened the front camera; he was indeed blushing madly. He didn’t know why he didn’t want it but Yongguk had this kind of effect on him. He was even more mortified when he realized that he and Yongguk will have to work together and be in the same room. This could have horrible consequences.</p><p>*</p><p>Last but not least, Seungri entered the pool area and found both Daehyun and Jiyong there along with the swimming coach which understandably was the coordinator. The coach started by congratulating the three on their performance and also saying that he was really confident that they’ll win this year.</p><p>“You’ll have to do some intense training but please be careful not to overwork yourselves. I need you to be in your top shape, alright?”</p><p>“Yes, sir!” the three said in unison, all excited.</p><p>They talked for a while, the three asking questions about the other school participating and the competition in the last years. It turns out that the school hasn’t won a swimming competition yet despite Jiyong being on the team last year; the latter was still a bit bitter about that. A while later, the coach left, not before advising the three to take a dip before joining classes, since they had free periods.</p><p>The three changed quickly and began training. Seungri jumped into the pool and started swimming, all under the judging eyes of Jiyong. Daehyun followed, as eager as ever, swimming as fast as he could so he could reach Seungri but he just couldn’t do it. Jiyong got into the water as well, not really caring about his two team-mates and focusing more on his skills. They trained for about thirty minutes until they decided to take a small break in order for their muscles to relax.</p><p>“You’re really speedy, Seungri,” Daehyun complimented the younger. “You’re like a torpedo or something,” he continued, chuckling. Seungri looked down and chuckled, getting shy by being praised like that.</p><p>“He could be faster,” Jiyong commented, loudly enough for both of his team-mates to hear. Daehyun instantly glared at him while Seungri paid no mind, he was used to Jiyong’s harsh words.</p><p>“You could be faster too, seeing that I’ve almost outsped you, captain,” Daehyun shot back, mocking Jiyong, knowing he will most likely bruise his huge ego with that comment.</p><p>“You’re right, you almost outsped me,” Jiyong smirked. “That’s why you’ll always be behind me.”</p><p>“If you’re so good, why did the team lose last year?” Daehyun wasn’t going to let the guard down in front of Jiyong. Meanwhile, Seungri was watching this conflict but chose not to comment, he better remain impartial, for his own good.</p><p>“You have no idea how tough the competition is,” Jiyong said in a serious tone, now glaring at him. “You should take this seriously otherwise you’re out.”</p><p>“Are you going to argue or swim?” Seungri said, suddenly, sick and tired of this childish display of testosterone. “Let’s work together and make sure we win this,” he added, looking at the two males.</p><p>“Well said, Seungri,” Daehyun smiled, ruffling the brunet’s hair and then jumping into the water. Seungri followed while Jiyong stood there for a moment, glaring at the two. He then joined them but the atmosphere was still somewhat awkward. Seungri knew he shouldn’t be curious –we all know what happens to curious people- but he felt like something happened between Jiyong and Daehyun. Who knows what this collaboration will unearth.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comment?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Friday Afternoon</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>“He texted me,” Baekhyun said, putting down his phone face down on the desk and sighed deeply. “He wants to meet tomorrow,” he continued, another sigh escaping his lips as he plopped back on the fluffy pillow on his bed. Himchan and Seungri shared a look and chuckled.</p><p>“Seeing you two on stage will definitely be interesting,” Seungri said with a smile.</p><p>“If they don’t kill each other first,” Himchan laughed, looking at Baekhyun who covered his face with a pillow and sighed again.</p><p>The blond took the pillow off his face and looked upwards towards the ceiling. “Why?” he asked in a grueling tone. “Why out of all the guys in that stupid high school, I had to be paired with the most idiotic one? What did I do wrong, God? I prayed every night,” he continued whining under the amused looks of his friends.</p><p>“God’s an asshole,” Himchan said, earning a disapproving glare from Baekhyun.</p><p>“Maybe he’s not so bad when it comes to music and you two will get along,” Seungri said with a smile.</p><p>“Or I’ll break his guitar on his head,” Baekhyun commented, causing both of his friends to laugh.</p><p>“Hey, I am not totally pleased to be in the same team with that Jiyong snob but it is what it is. I’m still going to give 100% and so should you. Show him you’re better and more mature than him,” Seungri advised.</p><p>“Am I the only one who actually likes his team?” Himchan asked, earning looks of disapproval from both of his friends. “I mean, we’re not going to become best friends but Yongguk and the others are nice…”</p><p>“Of course Himchan likes the guy who choked him on the first day…” Seungri said with a laugh. “Do you call him daddy as well?” he continued, still laughing. Baekhyun joined in –though he found the jokes a bit extreme- but stopped when Himchan threw a pillow at Seungri, hitting him straight on his face. The aim that guy had.</p><p>“Do you call the one who tried to drown you daddy as well?” Himchan retorted, causing Seungri to gasp. Since Seungri shared that story with the group, Himchan suspected Jiyong; of course with no proof but he felt it in his gut.</p><p>“You bitch!” Seungri said, laughing. Baekhyun covered his head with a pillow again, sighing deeply, not really in the mood for his friends' shenanigans; the two started a friendly yet brutal tickle fight.</p><p>The fight lasted for a few moments until Himchan finally gave up under Seungri’s tyrannous fingers. They tried cheering Baekhyun up, making him laugh but nothing really worked since he was worried about this collaboration. He and Chanyeol were polar opposites and will never get along.</p><p>“Let’s not be overly dramatic, for once, and look at these opportunities with hopeful eyes. Sure, the circumstances aren’t the best but we have to make the best of each situation, right? Let’s prove to these rich snobs that the paupers have more talent and skills than they’ll ever have,” Himchan said in a determined tone that was meant to cheer Baekhyun up. It seemed to work for a moment. “To us, the Unholy Trinity,” Himchan said, extending his arm towards his friends. With a chuckle, both Seungri and Baekhyun joined I, putting their hands on top of Himchan’s.  Then, the three hugged.</p><p>
  <b>Saturday afternoon</b>
</p><p>Chanyeol texted his address in the following morning. A few back and forth texts were exchanged as the two fixed an hour for the meeting; finally, they agreed that Baekhyun should come over at around 4 PM. So, at about 3:45 PM, Baekhyun was wandering the streets of a rich neighborhood, phone in his hand, and a disoriented expression upon his face. Even though he introduced the address in the GPS app of his phone, he still managed to get somewhat lost. He walked in circles for minutes before he managed to find the right path towards Chanyeol’s house.</p><p>He was nervous, he really didn’t want to do this but there was no other way. They had to present a song to the teacher by Friday but they kept postponing this meeting, both stating that they were too busy with their own schedules. Part of it was true, Baekhyun did help Seungri on his job several days to make some money and he helped his father around the church as well. Chanyeol was also busy and just couldn’t find time for this dreadful meeting.</p><p>Luckily, the teacher agreed to give them a bit of time but she needed a song by Monday and there was no way the boys could get out of this. Baekhyun didn’t like Chanyeol one bit and the dislike seemed to be mutual. They bickered since they first met and things could get hazardous if the two were left in a room unsupervised. The younger was quite nervous, he didn’t know how this will go and if they’ll find common ground. This will be a disaster, Baekhyun was sure of it.</p><p>A while later, Baekhyun found the house he was looking for except it was not a house but a freaking castle. To Baekhyun, the mansion looked absolutely huge. He wasn’t used seeing this daily and being this close to one of the most beautiful mansions he had ever seen –not many, to be fair- caused him to gasp. He approached the tall iron gates and for a moment he just stood there, looking around absolutely in awe.</p><p>His mind wandered to his modest house and how different everything was for him back home. The difference was absolutely extreme; while some dealt with poverty, others lavished in these mansions without a care in the world. How was this fair? He wondered. His train of thoughts was interrupted by the sound of the gates opening, causing him to gasp and back away. On the other side of the gates stood Chanyeol, a chuckle escaping his lips as he saw Baekhyun’s reaction to the gate.</p><p>“You’re late,” the elder of the two spoke in his usual deep tone.</p><p>“I got lost,” Baekhyun said, as he entered. The gates shut behind him.</p><p>Chanyeol smirked again, the turned around and walked towards the impressive-looking mansion. Baekhyun joined after a few seconds, his little legs hurrying in order to catch up with the taller male. No word was exchanged between the two as they walked the brick path that connected the gate to the house. Baekhyun looked around at the impressive yard, being impressed with its beauty; they must’ve hired the best landscapers since it all looked amazing.</p><p>They reached the house and Chanyeol broke the silence, telling Baekhyun to take off his shoes, place them on the rack, and put on some slippers. Baekhyun did as he was instructed and then followed Chanyeol to where he was going. He observed that the mansion was beautiful on the inside as well. On the way he met a couple of the staff, all dressed impeccably and smiling widely when they saw the two boys. He was impressed by the fact that they all bowed politely towards them, and he felt the need to do the same, causing Chanyeol to chuckle again.</p><p>Chanyeol entered a room and Baekhyun followed, still in complete silence. They entered Chanyeol’s room, and Baekhyun gasped once again. The room was huge, at least five times larger than Baekhyun’s room at home. He couldn’t see the room more clearly because it was dimly lit but Chanyeol quickly made his way towards the window and pushed the grey thick velvet drapes away from the windows, letting the sunlight in.</p><p>Baekhyun observed that despite the huge size, the room was nearly empty as it didn’t contain any unnecessary furniture. The bed was absolutely huge, you could get lost in that monstrous thing yet it seemed to be really comfy. There was a stylish leather couch next to a bookshelf –but Baekhyun doubted that Chanyeol read much- and a long desk that was probably made out of mahogany. There was also a huge wardrobe and that was it, nothing that felt out of place or unnecessary. The younger also noticed the guitar that was placed neatly on a stand near the bed, the huge TV and gaming system, and the two almost dead plants that were near the windows –give them some water, damn it.</p><p>Chanyeol sat on his bed, picked up his phone, and started playing on it, paying no mind to Baekhyun who stood there awkwardly. Eventually, the younger sat down on the sofa, clinching on his little bag-pack for dear life. Chanyeol continued to ignore him; he was way more interested in his phone. The silence of the room was broken by a soft knock on the door, followed by the sound of the door opening.</p><p>“Master Park, I brought some refreshments and snacks,” an elderly woman came inside. According to the way she was dressed, she was one of the many maids of the Park household. She came inside carrying a cart full of snacks and drinks; Baekhyun’s eyes widened.</p><p>“No, thank you very much,” Chanyeol said as politely as ever as he looked at the woman. She bowed politely and left, not before casting a smile towards Baekhyun as well.</p><p>After she left, the room returned to its awkward state. Baekhyun glanced around the room, his eyes landing on the cart once again. He always loved food and such a cart was truly a gourmand’s dream so it was no wonder that his stomach began growling. He covered his stomach area with his hands and looked down, wondering if he should say something –anything- to break the ice.</p><p>This will be a disaster, Baekhyun was sure of it. They won’t find common ground, they are just too different and people like them don’t match and shouldn’t be put together. He will ask the teacher on Monday whether or not he could perform alone because he was sure as hell he won’t do it with Park –asshole- Chanyeol by his side.</p><p>“Are you going to speak or gawk at me the entire time you’re here?” Chanyeol asked in his characteristic unfriendly tone. His deep voice awakened Baekhyun from the little depressive daydream he had about all of this going to hell.</p><p>“I wasn’t gawking,” Baekhyun retorted in an unfriendly way as well, rolling his eyes. That dude needs to get his head out of his ass. “You don’t seem very talkative either…”</p><p>“I don’t believe we have similar interests that we could talk about,” Chanyeol said as he finally got off his huge bed and went towards the younger. He then went towards the snack cart and grabbed a cookie, shoving it into his mouth the next second. He then poured himself –and Baekhyun- a glass of juice; he wasn’t that big of an asshole, he could be hospitable if needed.</p><p>“And yet we’re paired together…” Baekhyun said with a sigh. Chanyeol brought the juice glasses over, offering one to the younger who only nodded while taking it into his shaky hands. He couldn’t help it, he was intimidated by the size and demeanor of the other and oftentimes this meant shaking and blushing; he couldn’t control it.</p><p>Chanyeol plopped on the couch, at the other end of it. He took a big gulp of the juice and then looked at Baekhyun who seemed to be feeling very uncomfortable being there.</p><p>“Let’s not make a huge deal out of this and try to do a good job together,” Chanyeol said, now in a softer tone. Baekhyun looked towards him and nodded. “So, let’s talk about music. What are you into? Church music?”</p><p>“Very funny,” Baekhyun didn’t seem amused one bit. “For your information, I do have a vast taste in music.”</p><p>“Let me see it!” the elder said, getting out his phone and opening his music app. He then handed the phone to Baekhyun. “Show me your playlist and I’ll show you mine.”</p><p>You will definitely learn a lot about someone if you go through their playlist and right now they two guys were learning –if they weren’t aware already- that they are polar opposites of each other. While Baekhyun preferred mellower songs, soft and with deep lyrics, Chanyeol seemed to love underground rapping. The elder’s phone was filled with songs like this causing Baekhyun to wonder how one could enjoy such profanities. On the other hand, Chanyeol wondered how Baekhyun could be so boring; his whole playlist was made out of OST’s, ballads, and other sleep-inducing songs. Through those agonizing songs were also some very cute girl-group songs and it was needless to say that Chanyeol was mortified.</p><p>After scrolling and scrolling for what seemed like hours, the two came to the conclusion that finding a song would be a lot harder. They didn’t seem to have anything in common –music-wise. They looked through the playlist but the more they scrolled, the more disappointed they were. They needed a song that both of them could perform, Chanyeol as the instrumentalist and Baekhyun as the vocalist but nothing seemed to work between them. Chanyeol gave up and placed his colleague’s phone on the couch, sighed, and went to get a refill of the juice and some snacks. Honestly, he needed something stronger than drinks but for now, sodas would do.</p><p>Baekhyun seemed to be equally frustrated but he kept on scrolling until he was done; then, he sighed heavily. He needed some juice as well, so he got off the couch and approached the cart. He poured some juice –again, with shaky hands- and while he was doing so, his eyes landed on all the delicious snacks. His stomach began singing symphonies again.</p><p>“Don’t be shy now,” Chanyeol said with a chuckle, inviting the other to taste everything. “The cookies are really good. Try them.”</p><p>Chanyeol watched as Baekhyun grabbed one of the cookies and started munching on it. It really was delicious and Baekhyun immediately released a low moan of pleasure that made Chanyeol chuckle again. Seeing this shy, soft Baekhyun really surprised him considering he oftentimes met the sassy version of the latter. He preferred this one. Baekhyun started feeling a bit more comfortable and tasted some more of the delicious food. He didn’t want to seem like a beggar or something so he stopped after a while, though his mind kept telling him to pick another cookie.</p><p>“I never heard you sing,” Chanyeol said, just as Baekhyun was munching on the last cookie. “How are we going to pick a song if we don’t know what the other is capable of? Can you sing a bit for me? I will do to.”</p><p>“Good idea.”</p><p>Chanyeol started first as he already went to pick up his guitar. Baekhyun watched as how meticulous he was with the instrument, a clear sign that he loved it. Judging by what he listens to, you would say he was a very violent person –and to some extent he was- but he had a softer side as well, a side that he exposed as he started playing a song on the guitar. The song he chose was emotional; the same one that he played at the audition and Baekhyun couldn’t take his eyes off him. He was really talented, so talented that Baekhyun clapped when the song was over causing Chanyeol to smile so brightly that his cute dimple was showing.</p><p>Next, it was Baekhyun’s turn and he as well sang the song from the auditions. He had the instrumental version of the song on his phone and when he started, Chanyeol’s eyes went three times the size. He imagined Baekhyun being a good singer but the latter completely blew Chanyeol away with his talent. That mellow voice, the raspy tone, and the way he articulated each note made the elder’s jaw drop to the floor. Chanyeol was amazed, astounded, and a fan of Baekhyun. He started clapping and cheering, causing Baekhyun to turn as red as a ripe tomato.</p><p>The atmosphere was a bit more comfortable, way lighter than it was before. The two began talking more and even shared a few compliments. Chanyeol was still blown away by Baekhyun’s vocals but he kept his fanboying to himself for now.</p><p>“So what the hell are we going to do?” Baekhyun asked while chewing. He couldn’t stop eating those delicious snacks. “I sure am not good at rapping or cursing or whatever your favorite hip-hop artists are saying…”</p><p>“And I don’t want the audience to die of boredom thanks to your favorite OSTs and slow songs,” Chanyeol retorted but this time with a smile.</p><p>“Do you listen to something else? Artists that we could cover?” Baekhyun asked, hoping to get something useful out of this awkward meeting, they already wasted about two hours.</p><p>“I listen to alternative and rock too but I doubt these are your type,” Chanyeol said with a serious tone. “Have you heard of Muse?”</p><p>“<strong>Muse<sup>1</sup></strong>?” Baekhyun’s eyes widened. “You mean the English band?”</p><p>“Yes. Do you know them?”</p><p>“I love them!” Baekhyun said with an overly excited tone. “Could we cover them? They have fantastic songs.”</p><p>“Yeah, but which one?” Chanyeol asked, picking up his phone. He started looking up songs from the band.</p><p>“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9LOFXwPwC4"><strong>Unintended</strong></a>?” they both said in unison. Maybe they did have something in common.</p><p>“But it’s a ballad,” Baekhyun said with a small chuckle.</p><p>“Yeah but it’s different. It’s beautiful and…well…different…” he paused, chuckling. “I think your voice suits the song and I think I could learn to play it on the guitar since it doesn’t seem to be too hard. I think it’s a great song,” Chanyeol said, his tone for once was a happy one. He seemed like a little excited boy who found a new toy.</p><p>“I don’t think I can go as high as <strong>Matt<sup>2</sup></strong>,” Baekhyun said with a chuckle.</p><p>“You don’t have to, it’s a cover, you should do it at your own tempo and at a range you’re comfortable with. So? Could we try this one?”</p><p>“Yes, I think so. I love the song as well,” Baekhyun smiled causing Chanyeol to jump up and down in excitement.</p><p>The two hi5ed and smiled widely. Finally, after grueling hours they found the song and now they can finally start preparing for the performance. Baekhyun never imagined that they will find common ground but it seemed that their love for music was stronger than their obvious differences. He was finally excited to participate in this contest and hopeful that they’ll win.</p><p>♦</p><p>Chanyeol downloaded the music sheet for the song immediately and after Baekhyun left he started practicing. They talked and ultimately chose to perform an acoustic version of the song, with only his guitar accompanying Baekhyun’s vocals. The latter surprised him today and somehow he couldn’t get his voice out of his head, it was really beautiful and so soothing but of course, he didn’t say that to the younger, his ego would get too big.</p><p>He practiced and practiced until his fingers hurt but he seemed to get the hang of it; the song was coming together and he was proud of it. As he laid in bed, preparing for sleep, his thoughts flew to Baekhyun and he wanted to text him. He chose not to since it was already past midnight and thought that the younger would be sleeping.</p><p>Baekhyun wasn’t sleeping, he was practicing. He had never done a song in English and though he knew the language, the pronunciation of certain words still gave him trouble. The song’s lyrics weren’t the easiest either so he made sure to memorize them before he started singing them. He didn’t realize how time passed and when he looked at the clock he realized it was way past 2 AM and he had to get up early in the morning for Church duties.</p><p>He quickly got into bed and prepared to fall asleep, his thoughts running to Chanyeol fingers stroking the guitar strings and how beautiful and artistic he found it. He quickly dismissed the weird thought; he said a prayer and then went to sleep. He fell asleep immediately.</p><hr/><p><strong>1.</strong> <strong>Muse - English rock band.</strong></p><p><strong>2. Matt - </strong><b>Matthew James Bellamy</b> is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Muse.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>If the link doesn't work, I will put the song down here. Listen to Muse and enjoy &lt;3 </strong>
</p><p>
  
  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9LOFXwPwC4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9LOFXwPwC4</a>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comment?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Saturday afternoon</b>
</p><p>“How do I look?” Himchan asked his friend and roommate Baekhyun as he was checking himself out in the mirror positioned in the latter’s small room. He’s been like this for about an hour, trying on the few clothes he brought over from his house, trying to style them so he could look presentable enough.</p><p>“For the umpteenth time, Himchan, you look amazing,” Baekhyun said, letting out an exasperated sigh afterward. It was tiring watching hurricane Himchan rummage through clothes trying to find the perfect shade of white or pastel pink to match his jeans or underwear or whatever. “I don’t get why you’re stressing so much when you said you didn’t like this Yongguk guy,” Baekhyun continued, earning an unfriendly look from Himchan.</p><p>The latter had his first study session with Yongguk today and the latter invited him to his place so they could study. Himchan was a bit excited but also a bit skittish about this. Sure, Yongguk might seem more different from other rich assholes but he was still a rich asshole. Besides, Himchan didn’t forget the fit of rage he threw back on their first day –and Himchan won’t forget the way he wrapped his hand around his neck either. Sure, they got closer and were at a talking level but things could go to hell every moment.</p><p>“I don’t like him like that,” Himchan said, still glaring at Baekhyun who seemed bored out of his mind. They discussed this already, Yongguk definitely had an effect on Himchan from day one, be it a positive or negative one. Himchan had to admit he found Yongguk to be very handsome, smart, and artsy, totally the guy he would date but the differences from their worlds were just too big to ignore. And besides, Yongguk wasn’t even interested in guys –at least that’s what Himchan knew- since he had a girlfriend already. Yes, the young man was pretty to look at but off-limits and Himchan respected that. It’s not like he needed something like love right now, his life was in pieces.</p><p>“Yet you’re putting on so much effort in your styling,” Baekhyun remarked. The latter might be the most virgin of virgins but he loved teasing Himchan about guys. He wasn’t judgmental as you’d expect a religious guy to be, and loved poking fun at his friend’s lack of love –as a good best friend does.</p><p>“You dressed up cutely for Chanyeol as well,” Himchan smirked causing Baekhyun to gasp loudly and playfully slap his shoulder, and then both of them started laughing. These past weeks since the two were living together were very entertaining as both of them grew to love each other’s company very much.</p><p>“So, this is my final look,” Himchan said after putting on a slightly oversized pastel pink shirt, dark denim jeans, and red sneakers. He accessorized lightly with a small black stud earring and a silver chain around his neck. “Thoughts?”</p><p>“You look perfect,” Baekhyun said with a smile, clearly bored out of his mind. “Now, go and study, I have to go meet up with idiot Chanyeol,” he continued, with a laugh.</p><p>“Good luck,” Himchan smiled.</p><p>♦</p><p>Thirty minutes, two changed busses and countless exchanged texts later Himchan was just entering the private residential complex in which Yongguk lived. The small but opulent neighborhood was filled with beautiful villas all belonging to the city’s riches and most influential business people. At the gate stood two huge men, ready to beat the hell out of everyone who dared trespassing and violating the privacy of the place.</p><p>Himchan was granted access after answering multiple dumb questions. He then made his way on the path that led towards the Bang residence. Yongguk texted him the details and as he promised in text, he was waiting for his colleague in front of the gate of the villa. Himchan waved cutely as he approached and saw Yongguk there in all his glory. He couldn’t deny it, the latter was a really attractive man especially now with his big messy hair and normal clothes. They exchanged a brief handshake and then Yongguk opened the gate, letting Himchan inside the huge yard in front of the mansion.</p><p>The two walked in silence towards the villa, Himchan admiring the scenery; the yard was especially beautiful with an impressive rose garden and a tall grass maze that Himchan would love to get lost into. His eyes also landed on the man in front of him and Himchan wanted to laugh at how casual Yongguk looked, dressed in just a plain t-shirt and some basketball shorts, both black. He also noticed the tattoos on his arms and legs. It was funny how the elder looked innocent –when he didn’t choke you- when he was dressed in the school uniform but such a rebel without it.</p><p>The two entered the front door of the opulent house and a world of luxury opened before Himchan’s eyes. Wherever he looked, he saw marble, golden plated surfaces, and a lot of art pieces probably more expensive than his own life. The hallway was impressive and it didn’t look as kitschy as Himchan imagined it. A small army of maids then approached them, bowing politely and welcoming Himchan into the Bang mansion; the latter gasped being totally surprised by this rather warm welcome. Yongguk looked at Himchan and chuckled, then told him to follow him towards his own room which was located upstairs.</p><p>Once they were inside Yongguk’s room, Himchan noticed another side of Yongguk, one that he didn’t know the elder had. The room was the epiphany of aesthetic, not very decorated but with a very mature air to it. Probably the most exciting thing was the round bed, a bed shape Himchan has not seen before. Artsy statuettes decorated the room, with plants and different art pieces completing the whole ‘art lover’ look Yongguk was going for. There wasn’t much furniture, just the necessary stuff like the long white desk, the black wardrobe, nightstands, bookcase and a big couch that seemed to be very comfortable. He also had a big curved screen TV that was mounted on one of the walls and a gaming system –he was dude after all. The room was well illuminated, with one big window that opened with a small balcony where Yongguk liked to read sometimes.</p><p>“Make yourself comfortable, I’ll get the study material,” Yongguk said, his deep voice startling Himchan who was still fascinated by the room. He nodded, and sat on the couch, getting out his study materials as well from the backpack. He was right, the couch was really comfortable.</p><p>Yongguk didn’t take long and soon he plopped on the couch as well, the files with all the questions and answers in his hands. They didn’t chat much and went straight to business, trying to learn as many questions as possible. The two sat on opposites ends of the couch as they read their questions and answers in silence. Yongguk stole a few glances and saw Himchan concentrating hard, and couldn’t help chuckle at the grimaces of the younger while reading. When Himchan wondered why Yongguk was laughing, the latter would look back onto his own papers.</p><p>Then, the two switched papers and began quizzing each other on different subjects. Yongguk was an ace when it comes to studying, he could learn stuff easily so he didn’t have a lot of problems. He also knew most of the answers. He answered every question flawlessly causing Himchan’s eyes to go wide; the guy in front of him was a total genius. Next, it was Himchan’s time and he had a bit of difficulty with certain questions. He liked studying and finding out new things but he also picked the hardest subjects so he didn’t have it so easily. He got a few answers wrong, but instead of laughing at him, Yongguk encouraged and helped him. The two were really getting along well.</p><p>“Can I ask you something?” Himchan said, after a few moments. Yongguk nodded, looking at his school mate curiously. “I know why I study and strive to be the best, I need good grades for better work opportunities so I can have a better life. Why are you so focused on studying when you have all of this?”</p><p>“It is true, I was born in luxury but things weren’t always the same. My grandparents on my father’s side were really poor, they even lived on the streets for a time. My father built all of this with his bare hands and no help just because he was curious and studied a lot. Everything he achieved is thanks to his curiosity and eagerness to learn and for that, I have big respect for him. He taught me from a young age that money isn’t everything and that you could always lose everything. In my opinion, everyone should study and be curious, regardless of their status. It’s true, I have everything I wish and more but I just can’t sit on my ass the whole day and not know how the world works or know general knowledge. Don’t you agree?”</p><p>“I do,” Himchan said and then paused. “And now I feel dumb for asking,” he continued, causing Yongguk to chuckle. “That’s a very mature way of thinking, I didn’t expect that.”</p><p>“I know most of us rich guys are entitled assholes with egos as big as their houses, and I can indeed be like that as well, but some of us really have nice personalities, and I am not bragging or anything,” he said, chuckling at the end. Himchan chuckled as well.</p><p>“You really do, when you’re not choking people on their first day,” Himchan laughed.</p><p>“In my defense, you ruined my sneakers,” Yongguk laughed as well, then looked back at Himchan. “And you’re quite unique as well, quite feisty.”</p><p>“You thought I loved being choked, right?” Himchan asked causing Yongguk to laugh loudly. “I do,” he continued between laughs, winking.</p><p>“I didn’t mean that,” Yongguk said between loud laughs. He covered his face with the palms of his hands but the younger noticed how Yongguk blushed madly. Himchan also discovered that he loved the sound the elder made when he laughed, it was really cute.</p><p>After a while, they continued their studying, stopping occasionally so they could discuss the subjects they were learning. It was an easier way to memorize everything and both of them enjoyed it. Himchan was a bit taken aback how serious Yongguk could be in a moment and then be totally silly in the next, talk about duality. This Yongguk was the complete opposite of the one at school, he was not stuck-up at all and really a pleasure to be around him.</p><p>“You hungry?” Yongguk asked all of a sudden. Himchan didn’t have a chance to answer as his stomach began growling immediately; he blushed a deep shade of red as Yongguk chuckled. “I didn’t know what types of pizza you prefer so I chose three for the pizza chef to prepare. I think they’re ready.”</p><p>“You have a pizza chef?”</p><p>“Yeah, and a pasta one too, she comes once a week and makes the best lasagna you ever tasted,” Yongguk said as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Then, he got off the couch and went to his desk, picking up a remote-like gadget and pushing a button.</p><p>About thirty seconds later another small army of servers busted into the room carrying carts filled with food and drink enough to satisfy a small family for a week. Himchan jaw dropped, witnessing the whole spectacle of food serving that the servers were displaying; they even brought inside a small bar containing at least 20 brands of soda and water. Then, they left and Yongguk went towards the food carts in order to examine the food while Himchan stood on the couch still, trying to pick his jaw from the floor.</p><p>Yongguk was a gentleman, it was clear and he demonstrated it by picking up a plate and placing a slice of each pizza on it. Then, he turned towards the couch where Himchan was –still processing everything that happened- and chuckled as he walked towards him. He handed the plate to the younger which he took and nodded, mumbling a shy thank you. Yongguk chuckled softly before returning to the carts to bring food for him as well.</p><p>They ate in silence, Himchan complimenting the food from time to time and releasing the cutest moans while chewing. Truth be told, he was picky when it comes to food and Yongguk seemed to know the exact pizza assortments that he preferred. He stuffed his face without shyness when it comes to food he was the most outgoing person ever. Yongguk stole a few glances again and discovered that seeing Himchan stuffing his face was the most adorable thing he had witnessed in a while.</p><p>After their stomachs were full, they went back to studying and had a tremendous amount of fun doing it. They seemed to have great chemistry, they laughed and talked a lot and really managed to cover a lot of the subjects in a short amount of time.</p><p>“Want to take a break? I kind of need a smoke,” Yongguk said with a smile.</p><p>“I forgot my cigars at home,” Himchan lied. He hasn’t had a cigar in a long time since he was living with Baekhyun’s family and they weren’t really so okay with smoking.</p><p>“I’ll borrow you some of mine since you did the same at the party.”</p><p>“You still owe me money for that joint,” Himchan chuckled as he followed Yongguk outside of the room and on that small balcony that was connected to his room.</p><p> Both of them sat down on the chairs that were on the balcony, lit up their cigars, and enjoyed the tranquility of the sunny fall afternoon. They didn’t make any forced conversation, just enjoyed the moment, the cigars and the company. They stole glances of each other but for the moment no one said a thing, it was only when they looked at each other that they smiled.</p><p>“Nice tattoos,” Himchan smiled in Yongguk’s direction.  “Do they have any special meaning?”</p><p>“I don’t do meaningless tattoos,” Yongguk said after drawing out the last smoke of a cigar. He then quickly lit up another one.</p><p>“You must really love your mom,” Himchan commented as he took a closer look at one of the tattoos on the elder’s arm, a half heart, and the word ‘mom’ written alongside it in a very classy handwritten style.</p><p>“I do,” Yongguk paused for a moment. “Even if she’s not here, I love her a lot,” he continued after he drew another puff out of the cigar.</p><p>When he was ten, his mother passed away due to an undetected brain aneurysm at only 39. Yongguk was by far the most affected once since he was very close to her. Sure, he loved his father but the connection he had with his mother was really special. She took great care of him and learned him about the beauty of music and art from a very young age. He was her little treasure, her genius, and losing her caused Yongguk great sadness. He loved her a lot and missed her even more. Sure, having money was great but no amount of money could bring her back to him.</p><p>“Oh…” Himchan sighed deeply, mentally beating himself up for saying the wrong thing once again. There was a pause as he didn’t know what to say; what do you even say in these situations? “I’m sure she’s watching over you and is proud of the man you’re becoming,” Himchan said in a silent tone, his voice quivering slightly. He looked at Yongguk who nodded slightly and smiled towards him.</p><p>Shortly after, they returned to their studying and continued, making great progress and having fun along the way. They helped each other along the way and their unlikely friendship started blooming beautifully. They didn’t even notice when the sun set and soon it was time for Himchan to go home.</p><p>“Thank you for today, I had fun and we made some great progress,” Himchan said as he was gathering his stuff. Yongguk smiled and nodded.</p><p>“Two minds are always better than one and yours is quite a brilliant one,” he said, throwing a compliment and causing Himchan to turn as red as a tomato.</p><p>Yongguk escorted the younger out and told him to text when he gets home, he knew they lived quite far from one another and wanted to make sure that Himchan got home safe. Himchan did that, about half an hour later when he arrived back at Baekhyun’s place, smiling widely and ready to tell Baekhyun about the day he had.</p><p>♦</p><p>
  <b>Sunday Morning</b>
</p><p>
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  </b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comment? Please? Opinion? Something? <br/>😁😁😁</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Saturday Afternoon</strong>
</p><p>Seungri spent most of his free time, and weekends- working so he had no real time to train for the competition. Still, he wasn’t really worried, he had enough time to perfect his swimming skills during the week at school; he was pretty sure the coach will allow him to use the pool for an extra hour or two.</p><p>The restaurant was flooded with people today, and Seungri kept running back and forth since his shift began. He was very hard-working and didn’t want anyone waiting for too long, he knew how annoying it was for a waiter not to serve you; he wanted to please everyone even if that meant he will go home absolutely exhausted. He was by far the best out of the waiters so naturally, he had the most tables to wait and though things got a bit tiresome, he continued doing his work with the same passion and diligence as ever.</p><p>He was so busy he didn’t even have time to look at his phone and when he finally did –about two hours after his shift began, on a quick break- he realized he had a couple of texts from the one and only Kwon Jiyong. After looking at the text for a moment, he quickly typed in a reply and went back to work, not really having the time to think about it. He liked the fact that Jiyong was taking this seriously.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>Sunday</strong>
</p><p>The next day, Seungri woke up quite early and surprisingly with lots of energy and a good mood. Since the hours of the morning, he helped with everything that he could around the house but since it was Sunday and everyone was mostly resting, he only did a bit of cleaning and helped his mom with cooking. She was feeling better, a clear sign that cancer was in regression and hopefully, it will be gone in a matter of months. She was responding well to the treatment but the medicine was really expensive but Seungri knew how to get more money if he needed it.</p><p>Time spent with family was never dull, he loved his family, even if they weren’t perfect and honestly he wouldn’t have it any other way. They were really united, a strong family that has been to hell and back but never lost sight of one another. Sunday lunch was a tradition and like every other week, they all enjoyed spending time with each other, talking, laughing, and eating delicious food. They didn’t have much but they had each other and that’s what counted the most.  </p><p>After that, Seungri quickly got his swimming equipment ready and soon he was out the door and heading towards the school. He was eager to train and swim, even after what happened back then, he still wanted to go in the water. He preferred not to think about the scary experience and hoped it will never happen again. He was curious about who did it as well but in a way, he hoped he will not find out; he didn’t want the culprit to show up and actually finish the job this time.</p><p>At about 3 PM he was in front of the school but no one seemed to be there. He was about to text Jiyong or Daehyun –assuming Jiyong invited him- but just as he got out his phone, the sound of a car honk alerted him. The sound came from a white Bentley –Jiyong’s car- and a moment later Seungri saw the elder coming towards him with a soft smile on his face.</p><p>“Have you been waiting long?” Jiyong asked, extending his hand.</p><p>“No, I just arrived,” Seungri said with a smile, shaking Jiyong’s hand briefly but firmly.</p><p>“Follow me,” Jiyong said as he searched in the pocket of his jeans for the keys.</p><p>They went out the back, to a door that was least used and mostly closed. Jiyong quickly unlocked it and they walked in silence towards the school’s back entrance. It was a no-brainer that Jiyong had the keys after all his dad owned the school.</p><p>“Is Daehyun coming too?” Seungri asked as they arrived.</p><p>“Yeah, he said he’ll be a bit late,” Jiyong answered nonchalantly as he headed towards the lockers in order to change. Seungri followed.</p><p>By the time they changed, Daehyun arrived too, quickly apologizing and going to change into his speedo. Once everyone was ready, they began stretching and once they were prepared, they jumped into the water. The water was a bit cold but they didn’t really mind as they were more focused on training.</p><p>There was a bit of tension in the room, especially when Daehyun was poking fun at Jiyong, mocking his leadership skills, or just his general swimming skills. They seemed like innocent jokes but a few of them really seemed to affect Jiyong –especially when Daehyun reminded Jiyong of the disastrous loss they faced last year. Jiyong retorted but kept a friendly attitude; he didn’t snap and broke Daehyun’s neck like he wanted to. Seungri kept silent and did what he did best; he swam and trained as much as he could.</p><p>Eventually, things calmed down and the three trained together in a way more peaceful manner. Jiyong was still acting like a leader, giving Daehyun and Seungri pointers and tips but he seemed to be taking criticism –mostly coming from Daehyun- quite lightly and even laugh and admit his mistakes. Jiyong got into his ‘captain-mode’ and bossed them around and though Daehyun and Seungri didn’t really enjoy this, for the sake of competition they didn’t comment much.</p><p>A while later Jiyong got tired and decided to relax a bit at the edge of the pool. Seungri was still swimming and Jiyong wondered how much energy he has for all of that. His eyes kept following the latter, not being able to look away even just for a second.</p><p>“Stop staring, you creep,” Daehyun said in a cheerful tone as he laughed softly. Jiyong only now noticed that the latter was beside him.</p><p>“I’m not,” Jiyong said in a serious tone, now looking at Daehyun with a glare. Daehyun laughed again.</p><p>“You’re so obvious, Jiyong,” the blond chuckled softly, and then looked in Seungri’s direction. “He’s interesting, isn’t he?”</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Jiyong nodded, trying not to seem too impressed.</p><p>“He’s off-limits, by the way,” Daehyun said, suddenly in a serious tone. Jiyong turned to him, confused.</p><p>“Says who?”</p><p>“Me,” Daehyun said, as a smirk appeared on his face. “You’re not interested in him, are you?”</p><p>“No,” Jiyong said with a serious tone. “Why? Are you? What about YoungJae?”</p><p>“He said he’s cute too,” Daehyun winked. YoungJae was Daehyun’s long-time on and off boyfriend; they were the IT pair of gay couples, very toxic yet very cute. “Friendly advice: stay away from him and don’t you dare hurt him, or else.”</p><p>  “Or else what?” Jiyong’s glare was very dark at this moment but Daehyun didn’t seem to be affected one bit, his smirk only grew.</p><p>“Or else I might show him a little picture of you trying to drown him the other week,” Daehyun smirked, seeing how Jiyong went completely pale in a timespan of a few seconds. “Yes, I saw you and I don’t know what kind of psychological distress is going on through your fucked up head but if you try anything psycho again, I might release the little photo to the world, the police even. Imagine the title: “Billionaire Kwon Jiyong caught attempting to murder a classmate,” Daehyun said, that smirk of his never leaving his face.</p><p>“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jiyong said, jumping in the water the next moment.</p><p>His body was trembling; he could barely keep himself afloat. Daehyun saw him, he saw him lose control that day and the simple thought terrified Jiyong to the core. He tried hiding the terror he was feeling as best as he could, but every time he looked at Daehyun and saw that smirk, he knew he was fucked. If Daehyun decides to do something, his whole life would be over. He hated himself right now.</p><p>The training resumed but the awkward atmosphere between the three boys hasn’t disappeared. They swam mostly in silence, with Jiyong timing them occasionally and encouraging them to do better. You could tell that Jiyong was feeling unwell, he was barely talking and every time he did his voice was quite shaky. Also, he was pale and would oftentimes get lost in his own thoughts. Finally, after about three hours, everyone was tired and ready to get home –and get away from the stuffiness of the room. The three exited the pool area as quickly as possible, with Jiyong being last as he needed to lock everything up.</p><p>When they got outside, they were in for a surprise as the sky blackened, signaling a coming storm. They barely made it outside of the school when the downpour started, with big, cold drops hitting the boys like projectiles.</p><p>“Let’s go, I’ll drive you home,” Jiyong said, boldly grabbing Seungri’s hand and started walking rapidly towards the car, leaving Daehyun behind.</p><p>“W-wait,” Seungri said, obviously taken aback. “What about Daehyun?”</p><p>“He lives close by,” Jiyong said, dragging the younger towards the white Bentley that was waiting in the parking lot. Daehyun, who watched everything, started chuckling and then ran towards his bike and then started speeding home; he indeed lived close by.</p><p>Meanwhile, the two just got to the car and Jiyong rushed to unlock it immediately. He climbed into the driver’s seat while Seungri climbed into the passenger’s. Both needed a moment to regain their breath from this surprise cardio session, so they stood there panting and looking at each other. Both chuckled, Seungri in particular finding the situation quite funny.</p><p>Jiyong then looked around and reached for a box of tissues that was conveniently placed on the backseat of the car –no, his car wasn’t messy; it was equipped with all sorts of useful things. He then handed the box to the younger, “here, you’re all wet,” he said with a smile.</p><p>“Thanks,” Seungri said, taking a few tissues from the box and wiping his hands and face. Jiyong did the same and then he started the car.</p><p>Seungri gave Jiyong directions to his house and though the road was mostly silent, it wasn’t awkward, it was actually nice. Jiyong managed to relax a bit, putting the Daehyun incident in the back of his mind temporarily; he will have to deal with the latter sooner or later but he doesn’t even know what to say at this point. The road took about fifteen minutes and as Jiyong parked in front of Seungri’s house, he was shocked to see how small it is in comparison to his own mansion. Still, from the outside, it seemed like a very nice house, small but cute. Seungri got ready to leave, unbuckled the seatbelt, and got ready to open the door but Jiyong suddenly grabbed his hand, causing him to stop.</p><p>“Uh…” Jiyong said, not knowing why he decided to do this. The silence, combined with the pouring rain outside made everything look like one of those cheesy K-drama scenes. “I want to…to apologize…” he continued, now looking at Seungri –whose eyes were as wide as ever- and still holding onto his hand.</p><p>“Why?” Seungri asked, almost out of breath. He wondered why his heart was racing.</p><p>“I can get very rude when someone is better than me at something,” he said with a chuckle, looking down, catching sight of their touching hands. “…and I know I’ve been rude to you and pushed you quite hard. I also threw harsh words without thinking and I admit I was a bit jealous; blame my ego…” he continued, biting his bottom lip. He didn’t know why he chose to apologize; maybe he was trying to compensate for the fact that he almost killed him about a week ago. The truth is that he really did feel bad –and quite crazy- for what he did and wanted to be a nicer person. Now he has to be extra nice since Daehyun decided to be a bitch and blackmail him.</p><p>“It’s okay” Seungri smiled, feeling a bit weird about all of this but chose not to comment any further. “I mean…you pushed me to do better. And I am used to harsh words; you and your friends have been throwing them at me and my friends ever since we arrived there.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Jiyong said with a sigh. “You’re a really great swimmer and you seem to be a great person as well.”</p><p>“Thanks and apology accepted,” Seungri said with a small smile. “Now, can you let go of my hand? I want to go home and rest,” he continued with a small chuckle.</p><p>“Oh, right…” Jiyong said, now with a visible blush on his cheeks. He took his hand off Seungri’s and smiled, “see you at school.”</p><p>“Thanks for the ride,” Seungri smiled and quickly rushed outside of the car. He quickly waved goodbye before getting inside the house.</p><p>Jiyong sighed deeply, not understanding completely what was happening inside of his head and body. He started the car and drove home, locking himself in his room as soon as he arrived. He felt like his whole world was about to be crumbling down and he felt like going insane.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comment?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>I</strong>t was another Monday morning and for once the unholy trinity wanted to go to school. The three had quite an interesting weekend, filled with events that left them with a smile on their faces. Though they dreaded meeting with their partners for this school festival, it turned out to be a pleasant experience for everyone. The rich bastards were still rich bastards but it seemed they had a humble side as well. Though their first encounter wasn’t the merriest, it seemed that they’re getting warmed up to each other and communicating way easier than before.</p><p>The three were on their way to school, talking, and sharing opinions of the past weekend. They claimed they didn’t want anything to do with the so-called ‘privileged bastards’ but they had to admit that it felt damn good to be accepted. They come from different worlds but it’s up to them to find a balance and actually get along because at the end of the day, money isn’t anything and statuses could be easily reversed.</p><p>“I can’t wait for the contest,” Himchan said in a very excited tone. “I bet Yongguk and I will crush the competition!”</p><p>“It seems you have a total crush on that guy,” Seungri remarked with a laugh.</p><p>“It’s not a crush, it’s more of an admiration,” Himchan said with a serious tone. “You know I like smart guys, after all, I am a total <strong>sapiosexual<sup>1</sup></strong>,”  he continued, causing Seungri to chuckle.</p><p>“I wouldn’t call the guys you usually hook up with smart…” Baekhyun interjected causing Seungri to laugh out loud and Himchan to glare at the younger.</p><p>“Well, at least I own my sexuality proudly, you prude,” Himchan shot back.</p><p>Between them, Himchan was the most open one regarding his sexuality and always assumed that his friends were the same as him; his ‘gaydar’ is never wrong. Sure, Seungri had too much on his mind and didn’t have time to think about boys –though Himchan knew he kissed at least one guy at the old school- and Baekhyun was too deep in the closet and too religious to even think about this. Any talk about sexuality would reduce him to a blushing mess or a sarcastic bitch. Whatever the case, they accepted and loved each other though they oftentimes threw shots at each other.</p><p>The conversation continued in the same friendly matter as they made their way inside the school. They went to their lockers, got out their books and all headed towards the same class. School time was pretty much uneventful but the boys noticed that their contest partners were way friendlier towards them, for example, Jiyong even offered Seungri his seat during their shared English class. The week was off to a great start but who knows what adventures await the guys as there are closing it on the contest; two weeks to go.</p><p>•</p><p>After lunch, Baekhyun and Chanyeol were summoned in the great music hall by the teacher who was curious –and honestly anxious- to hear what the guys prepared for the music part of the competition.  It was always tricky when doing a duet as the voices had to meld in perfect harmony. Besides, if one plays an instrument they have to be very focused as missing just one note can throw the whole song upside-down and little mistakes like this have a great impact.</p><p>The two arrived at the same time in front of the door of the music hall. Baekhyun had his music sheets and lyrics that he struggled to memorize in his hands while Chanyeol carried his guitar case with pride. They actually smiled at each other and then the taller male opened the door and invited Baekhyun to enter first –a very gentlemanly thing to do.</p><p>The music teacher awaited and didn’t like to lose precious time so she quickly asked to see the song. She was not familiar with Muse and actually thought they would sing in Korean but she accepted their choice as it was their only one. The two then were in front of her and after a bit of practice, they started the song.</p><p>Chanyeol started and immediately the whole room was filled with the soft guitar sound. Baekhyun then took a deep breath and started singing. His honey vocals matched the guitar songs well but not perfectly but it was only their second time singing and they still had time to do better. Baekhyun’s vocal range was quite impressive and while playing with his notes, he actually carried the song a bit higher than normal which was risky but sounded good. Chanyeol stole a few glances, admiring Baekhyun’s hard work –and also the fact that he looked so cute when he was focused. At the same time, Baekhyun looked at his partner and almost choked when their eyes met; it’s funny how emotions get the best of you sometimes. The latter’s heart was racing and he couldn’t figure out why; was it the song?</p><p>The song ended only after Chanyeol and Baekhyun sang together for the last part –which was not the best choice. The teacher applauded them; smiling as she never thought the two would be able to collaborate initially. Still, she was not fully satisfied with the result, she wanted both to take this really serious and control their nervousness and emotions; she noticed the little cracks in Baekhyun’s voice and the hesitation in Chanyeol’s voice as well, they needed to work on that. She gave pointers to both, but overall she was surprised that the two chose a rather difficult song and did moderately well on it for the first time. She also suggested daily training so that meant that Chanyeol and Baekhyun would see each other very often.</p><p>“My place after school?” Chanyeol asked as the two got out of the room.</p><p>“Uhm…okay…” Baekhyun said with a soft smile.</p><p>“Bring your homework too; we can work on it as well. Kill two birds with one stone, you know,” Chanyeol chuckled.</p><p>“Okay. I’ll text you later,” Baekhyun said and turned to leave. Why does it always felt so hot being next to him? It’s like he is carrying a radiator and emanating heat whenever Baekhyun is around. Needless to say, Baekhyun needed a trip to the bathroom in order to cool down a bit.</p><p>•</p><p>Himchan’s phone kept ringing and ringing all throughout the weekend but he either silenced it or straight up ignored the caller. Why? Because the caller- or rather callers-, were his dear parents. The fall-out they had a couple of weeks ago caused Himchan to run away and sleep at Baekhyun’s place and now it seemed that his parents started missing him and blasted his phone with tons of calls and messages. Himchan ignored most of the calls but those he took always sounded the same: his mom or dad crying, calling him back home, apologizing for being literally the worst parents ever, and promising to get their life together for the sake of him. All of it was bullshit; Himchan was sure of it and told them not to bother him anymore. Today, the calls continued and Himchan was frustrated enough to actually pick up his phone after the 15<sup>th</sup> attempt.</p><p>“Was I not clear enough? Why do you keep calling me?” his voice was very serious.</p><p>“<em>Please Himchan,” </em>it was his mother, she was crying heavily. “<em>Please listen to me. Come home, let us be a family again…”</em></p><p>“A family? Please, mother, don’t amuse me. We were never a family, not since you’ve begun drinking every day,” Himchan was deadly serious, his harsh words causing sobs to be heard at the other end. “I am your child, I should be the one protected and cared for but all I did for the past two years was to clean your vomit off the floor and take care of you. Running away was the best decision I ever made.”</p><p>
  <em>“Himchan, please listen to me. I…I got a job, we both did and we haven’t been drinking since you left. We promise to change our lifestyles but please come home and let’s be a family once again. We need you.”</em>
</p><p>“I needed you as well,” Himchan said with a heavy sigh.</p><p>
  <em>“Please come home and see that we changed, please Himchan.”</em>
</p><p><em>“</em>I’ll think about it.”</p><p>With that, Himchan hung up and put his phone back in the pocket of his jeans. The call stressed him out, he didn’t want to see his parents but he knew he couldn’t run from them forever and can’t live at Baekhyun all the time, he will need to get home eventually. He didn’t believe any of the ‘we changed’ bullshit but he was truly curious how hard they were trying to get him back. Maybe it was time to visit them.</p><p>He sighed deeply and then headed towards the chemistry lab where he had the meeting with his ‘nerd group’ for the contest. Again, the teacher decided to quiz them but this time he did it separately, asking each contestant questions from their respected subjects. Himchan was so distracted by the call –and the fact that Yongguk’s perfume smelled heavenly- that he messed up half of the questions, surprising everyone in the group.</p><p>“Are you ok?” Yongguk asked as they were exiting the class. He actually grabbed Himchan’s arm as he was leaving. “You seem a bit distracted.”</p><p>“Family issues, don’t worry,” Himchan said with a smile. “Sorry I sucked so bad…” he played it cool by chuckling but you could see he was not feeling okay.</p><p>“Everyone has good and bad days,” Yongguk said, smiling as well. “You can come over today, I can tutor you and we can study together. I had fun this weekend,” he continued and Himchan couldn’t help but smile like an idiot.</p><p>“Me too,” Himchan smiled widely. “I’ll text you later ok?”</p><p>“Okay, and if you need to talk, I know we don’t know each other too well but I am a good listener.”</p><p>“Trust me, you don’t want to listen to sob stories,” Himchan said with a laugh. “See you later.”</p><p>After a bit of an awkward handshake with an even more awkward bro hug, the two parted ways, both with soft smiles on their faces. It’s almost funny how one person can change your day without even trying.</p><p>•</p><p>Jiyong was a hot mess. Since yesterday afternoon, when the little shit that Daehyun was, revealed he had footage of the incredibly stupid thing that he did, Jiyong was on the edge. He couldn’t sleep at all last night and he couldn’t eat anything either, his mind was constantly coming up with scenarios each more gruesome than the last.  If anyone finds out about this, his whole reputation and future career that he hoped for will be gone so he’ll need to make sure that Daehyun won’t release any of the footage.</p><p>He didn’t know how to do that. Confronting him wasn’t an option because Daehyun was a sly motherfucker and because he outweighed him by a lot; no, he was not fat, he just was very well built. He debated whether or not he should tell Chanyeol and Yongguk about this but this could lead to other problems like his friends being mortified by his actions –truthfully, he was mortified himself. For now, he decided to play it cool, not let his guard down and be a good boy towards Daehyun, even if he wanted to strangle him right then and there.</p><p>Swimming classes were halted for now since Jiyong, Seungri and Daehyun needed to prepare for the contest and needed all the pool time they could get. Everyone was there now, along with the coach who was monitoring everything. Things weren’t bad but they weren’t great either as Jiyong seemed to be totally out of it, getting awful times and getting tired way easier than before. On the bright side, Seungri seemed to shine today, being the best out of the three.</p><p>“You look like shit,” Daehyun commented as he and Jiyong headed towards the lockers to change. Seungri was a bit behind since he took a few extra laps. “Where’s the golden swimmer guy?” he continued while chuckling darkly. Jiyong clenched his fists, his anger reaching dangerous peaks. He wasn’t one to have a great temper and Daehyun was really pushing his buttons right now.</p><p>“Shut up, your voice irritates me.”</p><p>“Then I guess I should speak louder,” Daehyun said, now laughing loudly in Jiyong’s ears. The latter quickened the pace towards his locker but Daehyun followed him closely behind. “Look at the bags under your eyes. Having trouble sleeping? Is it because of the evidence I have?” Daehyun asked and it was enough to drive Jiyong into ‘dragon-mode’.</p><p>Daehyun moved to poke Jiyong in order to annoy him further but Jiyong was quicker and way slyer. He grabbed the latter’s hand forcefully and twisted his arm around his back, earning a loud yelp from his victim. Then, he pushed Daehyun against the lockers forcefully, still holding him into the uncomfortable position. Jiyong may be scrawny and weak compared to Daehyun but he could be very dangerous when pushed over the limit. Using his free hand, Jiyong grabbed the other’s nape, pushing his head forcefully into the locker door. Daehyun growled.</p><p>“Do it!” Jiyong said out loud. “Do it! Release everything you have and expose me as the school’s psycho! Do it! I dare you!” Jiyong continued with the same murderous tone. Then, he approached Daehyun’s left ear and chuckled. “It’s true, I am psycho, I am deranged and if you mess with me, I promise you that I’ll give you the same treatment as I gave Seungri…only this time…I won’t stop until I see you floating lifeless on the pool. I can make it look like an accident and everyone will believe me because I am Kwon Jiyong! Don’t ever forget that and do not mess with me, Daehyun! Understood?”</p><p>Daehyun stood motionless for a moment and then struggled to get out of Jiyong’s grip, to no avail. He turned to look at Jiyong, and truthfully he was a bit terrified by the look of the other’s face; he was capable of murder, that’s for sure. He nodded and that’s when Jiyong released him from his grip. Daehyun ran out of Jiyong’s sight, a victory for the dragon.</p><p>Jiyong changed quickly and then rushed to get out of there before Daehyun decides to retaliate or do something stupid. He was scared; Jiyong could see that but people tend to surprise you most of the time. On his way out, he bumped into Seungri who was just entering the locker room area.</p><p>“Congratulations about today, you’ve improved greatly,” Jiyong said, smiling towards Seungri. The younger smiled as well and nodded.</p><p>“Thanks. I hope you’re okay, you seem a bit tired.”</p><p>“My head hurts, that’s all,” Jiyong lied with a smile on his face. “Are you busy today? I was thinking we should grab a cup of coffee or something…”</p><p>“Uh, actually, I have to research something for History and Daehyun promised me to take me to the library…”</p><p>“He did? That’s odd because I’ve seen him bolt out the back door a few seconds ago, he said he has a date with YoungJae,” Jiyong said, a small smile creeping up his lips as he saw Seungri frown. “But I can show you to the library and I’ll make sure they give you the best books. Deal?”</p><p>“Okay, let me change and we’ll go.”</p><p>Jiyong waited patiently for Seungri to change but still looked over his shoulder to see if Daehyun was around. Thankfully, it seemed that Daehyun was really terrified of his reaction and he left –just as he lied. Seungri returned, now fully changed and the two went towards the school library which was situated in another wing of the high school. Once there, Jiyong greeted the librarian kindly and asked for the best books she had on the subject that Seungri was researching. The younger was very grateful and thanked Jiyong multiple times.</p><p>Jiyong wanted to leave but he had nothing to do at home and he was sure that once he was there, the thoughts will overwhelm him once more so he thought it was better to occupy the time with something else. So, he offered to help Seungri go through the five books that he picked, and to his surprise, the younger accepted, being a bit pressed by time. To aid in their studies, Jiyong quickly went down the hall to the cafeteria where he picked a few refreshments and snacks, and then the two began their work. Though drinking and eating were forbidden in the room, Jiyong managed to sweet-talk the sweet librarian into letting them just now –and it’s not like he cared much, he owned the place.</p><p>They were done in less than an hour, with Seungri getting everything he needed for the project. The latter was grateful and kept thanking Jiyong; and honestly, he felt good being appreciated for the things we did.</p><p>“I was thinking…” Jiyong said just as they were exiting the library. “We should train every day if we want the top place. Don’t you agree?”</p><p>“Yeah, we need to get better times.”</p><p>“The problem is that the water in this pool needs to be changed frequently and it may not be always available for us. I have a pool at home and though it is not as big as this one, I think it can serve as a good back-up plan.”</p><p>“Sounds good.”</p><p>“I think we can meet there tomorrow afternoon, after school. I’ll text you later, okay?”</p><p>“Okay,” Seungri smiled.</p><p>Then, the two split, but not before shaking hands and sharing one of those ‘bro-hugs’. Seungri felt really grateful and surprised to see such a nice side of Jiyong showing up. He was also a bit curious about the place Jiyong was living in since he heard it was huge. He was excited to continue his training further seeing that he got better and better results. Hopefully, it will be enough for them to win.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>1 . Sapiosexual - a person who finds intelligence to be a sexually attractive quality in others.</strong>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>H</strong>imchan was in front of his house. He’s been there for nearly ten minutes, debating whether or not he should enter. His parents were driving him crazy with all the calls, pleading that he should come home and be a family again. Sure, it sounded inviting but he knew better. There was a lot of trauma in that house and in his mind, and he didn’t know if he was ready to experience that toxic environment again; it really wasn’t beneficial for him.</p><p>These past weeks were really good for him and it really seemed like his life was getting back on track. He wasn’t smoking that much, partially due to Baekhyun forbidding it in his room and house and he was way too lazy to go out to have a smoke, especially late at night. Joints were also out of the question and for a while, he stopped dealing since his stash was at home and he didn’t bring it to Baekhyun when he moved out. Honestly, he thought that Baekhyun would freak out if he knew how he makes money. Living with Baekhyun was amazing but he couldn’t do this forever, he had to move out eventually. Yes, he was broke but he was happy.</p><p>Does he believe his parents changed? Absolutely not, there is no way they would change overnight but he was willing to appreciate some kind of effort. A part of him was curious yet the other part was screaming “NO” continuously. He sighed deeply as he took the first step on the little path that led to the house, soon reaching the door. He knocked twice with shaky hands and waited, there was no sound. Then, he heard footsteps approaching, and a moment after, the door opened revealing his mother.</p><p>“Himchan!” she said, her eyes widening and her tone a very happy one. She immediately went for a hug, squeezing Himchan tightly in her arms. Himchan expected her to reek of alcohol like she usually did but when the perfume she was wearing hit his nostrils he was pleasantly surprised.</p><p>Himchan did not hug her back, he just stood there and softly smile while she was checking him out, commenting on the fact that he looked thinner than usual – not a real fact since he gained about 5 pounds since living with Baekhyun, his mother was a goddess of cooking. She was a crying mess. Then, his father appeared at the door, sober, and with a big smile upon his face. He hugged Himchan as well, telling him that he missed him.</p><p>He was invited inside and the first thing that he noticed was how clean everything was, the house was spotless. So far Himchan was pleasantly surprised but he knew better than to be fooled by appearances. His parents were both crying, asking tons of questions about his wellbeing to which he gave short answers. He then asked a few questions himself and found out that his father was now a driver for a delivery company and his mother was a cashier at a nearby grocery store, both decent jobs that earned them a bit of money. They also said that they weren’t thinking of divorcing anymore and that they haven’t drunk since the night they lost him; Himchan doubted this was didn’t say anything.</p><p>Another thing that surprised Himchan was the smell that hit his nostrils after a few moments; food, actually cooked food. He didn’t remember the last time he smelled freshly cooked food –not counting the times he had cooked for the two drunken parents. It smelled delicious causing his stomach to growl loudly; he barely ate today. His mom immediately invited him to the kitchen and set him on the kitchen table. Soon, the table was filled with different kinds of food, all Himchan’s favorite.</p><p>The three ate like a family and talked a lot, with Himchan disclosing that he stayed over at Baekhyun all this time. He also told them about the contest, how he scored second on the preliminary quiz and he could tell that his parents were mighty proud of him. Honestly, the whole atmosphere was better than Himchan had anticipated and that got him a bit emotional as well, tearing up as his parents begged him to return home and be a family again. There was no way he could say no to that.</p><p>After the copious meal, Himchan checked out his room which seemed to be untouched but also impeccably clean. Everything was in their right place and thankfully, his parents didn’t snoop too much so his stash of drugs was still safely stashed in a shoebox under the bed. He fell on the bed and sighed deeply, he felt home but also felt like something was not right. He was confused but he wanted to come back. After he witnessed, he believes that his parents changed even a little bit and they do deserve a chance at redemption; who knows, maybe things will turn out really good eventually.</p><p>He looked at the clock, it was almost time for his and Yongguk’s meeting but he wasn’t in the mood for that, instead, he just wanted to stay home and talk with his parents and catch up. Also, he had to bring all of his clothes from Baekhyun and that might take a while. After texting the elder, he sighed deeply and then went to join his parents in the living room; he couldn’t believe how light the whole atmosphere was.</p><p>•</p><p>Baekhyun couldn’t believe it when Himchan showed up to his door and told him that he was moving back home. Neither could he believe the huge smile the latter had on his face and honestly for a few moments he really thought his best friend was intoxicated or high or something. Thankfully, only serotonin was flowing through Himchan’s body and he explained the situation right away just as he started packing his things.</p><p>“Thank you so very much for letting me stay here and putting up with me. You’re a truly good person and an amazing friend,” Himchan said as he extended his arms to hug Baekhyun. The younger chuckled and accepted the hug, even hugging Himchan back for a few seconds.</p><p>“I’ll miss you,” Baekhyun said with a chuckle. Though Himchan could be a handful, Baekhyun couldn’t deny that life with him was fun and he will certainly miss all the conversations they had late in the night. “I’m happy you made up with your parents. I hope things change for the better,” he continued, smiling. He wasn’t sure of this, he knew Himchan’s parents were messed up but Himchan seemed confident that they changed, telling him everything that they did today for him.</p><p>They talked, laughed, and packed up until the point Baekhyun had to go to Chanyeol’s place in order to rehearse their song for the contest. After Himchan thanked Baekhyun’s parents as well –and also hugged them- the two left each heading in different directions.</p><p>About thirty minutes later, Baekhyun arrived at the Park villa and was greeted by a cheery Chanyeol who seemed very eager to start their rehearsals. They greeted each other with one of those ‘bro-hugs’ and instantly Baekhyun could smell the very manly perfume that the elder had on; he smelled really good. Again, they walked in silence towards the elder’s room and once inside, the army of servants showed up carrying carts filled with snacks and beverages for the two to enjoy.</p><p>They started right away and things were kind of weird at first. Baekhyun couldn’t stay focused for some odd reason and Chanyeol played too fast so they stopped and tried again. Slowly they began syncing to each other’s rhythm and things went a lot smoother. Baekhyun’s voice soon filled the room and though it was shaky at first, he gained a lot more confidence through the middle of the song and began singing louder and with more passion. It felt liberating and really good, Baekhyun loved to sing and it seemed that someone else was enjoying his voice quite a lot.</p><p>Chanyeol’s jaw fell agape when Baekhyun hit those high notes at the end more perfectly than he could ever imagine. The latter’s voice was beautiful, he couldn’t deny it and on his honesty loved hearing him sing. Hearing him play with his vocals easily caused goosebumps to appear on his skin and he almost got lost and forgot playing his guitar; Baekhyun sure mesmerized the crowd.</p><p>“Wow, so beautiful…” Chanyeol said out loud. Baekhyun looked at him and turned beet red, his emotions getting the best of him.</p><p>“…I still have a lot to learn…”</p><p>“You’re very modest,” Chanyeol laughed. “Seriously, your voice is awesome and you control it very well. You’re full of surprises, Baekhyun,” he continued with a chuckle. The younger had to avoid looking at him as he felt his cheeks redden.</p><p>“Thanks…”</p><p>They took a bit of a break and decided to do their homework and this proved to be the best and funniest thing ever. It was no secret that Chanyeol was one silly individual but today he was extra quirky, causing Baekhyun to laugh his ass off while doing homework –not something he ever did. Baekhyun also noticed that he was a smart guy but he loved playing the fool which baffled and amazed him at the same time. Both of them had a tremendous amount of fun together and they discovered they actually had more in common than they thought initially. Who, ever thought they would ever speak to each other after the unfriendly exchanges they had in the past.</p><p>They took a little snack break after doing their homework and then resumed their rehearsal, focusing on integrating Chanyeol’s voice into the song. The latter wasn’t the best vocalist but he had a smooth, deep singing voice and the two tried integrating it as best as they could. Then, Baekhyun suggested that Chanyeol should start the song and then he should go after him, in order to show the crowd both of their vocal colors. Chanyeol thought this was a genius move and the two started rehearsing further.</p><p>They didn’t even notice how almost five hours went by. It was about 10 PM when Baekhyun finally heard his phone ring from the pocket of his bag and upon answering he got an earful from his worried mother. He explained everything in a soft tone, trying to calm her down, and told her that he’ll be home soon; It was a school night after all. Baekhyun sighed as he hung up, realizing he had to walk home and in darkness, this was not ideal for him. Some of the alleys are quite dark and he could be an easy target for muggers, not that he had any money on him.</p><p>Another problem was revealed as he got outside of the Park villa; dark clouds were hovering over the city announcing a storm. The wind was blowing quite fast at that point and it also started drizzling slowly; the storm will definitely catch up with him so he was prepared to get soaked.</p><p>“Damn…” Baekhyun said as he looked up towards the sky. “I guess I should hurry.”</p><p>“Should I call you a cab? Do you even have an umbrella?”</p><p>“No…I will hurry home and hope for the best…” Baekhyun grinned.</p><p>“Wait here,” Chanyeol said as he quickly rushed back towards the house.</p><p>Baekhyun was confused but decided to wait for the latter and a few seconds later, he heard the unmistakable sound of a motorcycle coming towards him. His eyes winded immediately as he noticed that the one riding the motorcycle was none other than Chanyeol. The latter stopped in front of him and quickly offered him one of the two helmets he had with him.</p><p>“Hop on and hang tightly…” Chanyeol said with a smile. “I can’t let my superstar singer catch a cold before the big show,” he said and winked, causing Baekhyun to blush once again.</p><p>With shaky hands, Baekhyun put the helmet on and then hopped on the vehicle, clenching onto Chanyeol’s body immediately. The motorcycle sped outside of the Park villa gates and towards Baekhyun’s place. Chanyeol loved riding his precious motorcycle, especially late at night when there’s much less traffic but this ride was definitely his favorite. He could feel Baekhyun’s small hands grabbing at his body, touching him in different places and he couldn’t say he hated it.</p><p>“Baek…” Chanyeol said with an amused tone.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“We arrived, you can stop holding on to me now…”</p><p>Baekhyun –who kept his eyes closed due to fear this whole time- opened his eyes and saw he was in front of his much modest house. Chanyeol turned and grinned at him causing the younger to blush again. He let go of the elder’s shirt and slowly took off his helmet and got off the motorbike; his cheeks were visibly flushed but he didn’t care about this right now. He bowed politely.</p><p>“Thank you for the ride…” he smiled shyly. “See you at school.”</p><p>“See you,” Chanyeol smiled as well.</p><p>The elder waited until the younger got inside the house and then sighed deeply, put on his helmet, and turned the motorcycle around, going home.</p><p>
  <strong>•</strong>
</p><p>Seungri arrived at the Kwon villa, shortly after 3:30 PM and was greeted by a grinning and very casually dressed Jiyong. It was weird seeing him without his usual uniform and it was even weirder seeing him grin like that but Seungri wasn’t much bothered, he was here to train not to judge.  Quickly after his arrival, Jiyong informed him that Daehyun won’t be able to arrive so it will be just the two of them today. Seungri didn’t know this, but Jiyong didn’t even think of inviting that asshole into his own house.</p><p>Since it was still sunny and pretty warm, Jiyong suggested they would try the water in the outdoor pool and then move to the indoor one if they get cold; Seungri thought it was a good idea, somehow he knew Jiyong would have multiple pools around the ginormous house.</p><p>He knew Jiyong was rich but he never imagined such luxury and opulence. Though Seungri wasn’t one to be easily impressed by fortune, he had to admit the villa was very beautiful outside and inside as well. He loved seeing so many art pieces, statuettes, and paintings, some of the hallways looked like real art galleries.</p><p>The garden was also an amazing sight, filled with the most beautiful roses that were in full bloom even now. Stunning colors of red, white, and yellow adorned the place causing the younger to smile widely. He also saw that Jiyong had his very own tennis court as well. The pool was huge as well and clearly cleaner than the one at school, Seungri could bet money on that.</p><p>Both of them changed –yes, Jiyong had little changing rooms beside the pool- and then proceeded to warm up before taking a dip. Jiyong was much more eager, taking a dip almost immediately and shuddering as the water seemed very cold at first. Slowly, they started their routine, talking in-between sets and encouraging each other. Jiyong was acting super nicely today, he was sweet and complimented Seungri with every chance he got, he really seemed to enjoy the time spent with the younger, Seungri enjoyed it too, and once again he was surprised by how different Jiyong was in his day to day life.</p><p>A few moments later, as the boys were relaxing by the pool after their first session; a little army of servants surrounded the pool, bringing with them all kinds of trays with different beverages and also some light snacks. They all bowed politely, greeted Jiyong and his guests with the highest honorifics, and then left, leaving the beverages behind on a big table. Seungri was a bit baffled by all of this causing Jiyong to chuckle at his cute reactions.</p><p>They did some more training, timing their speed this time, always trying to best each other’s results. It was a fun competition between them which Seungri actually won but Jiyong wasn’t angry or anything, in fact, he congratulated the younger.</p><p>“You have great potential,” Jiyong said with a smile, a genuine one this time. “Have you thought about pursuing an actual swimmer career?”</p><p>“I did but…well…things got in my way and now I am kind of too late to be a professional swimmer.”</p><p>“Nonsense! You could get amazing scholarships! Imagine going to school in America or Japan, wouldn’t that be amazing?”</p><p>“I don’t want to leave…” Seungri said, a sad smile plastered on his face. Jiyong saw that the younger got quite tense so he hasn’t pushed the conversation further, instead, he offered Seungri a drink from the wide variety displayed in front of them.</p><p>When the air got chillier, they moved to the indoor pool and this one was just as amazing as the outdoor one, just with more marble, more luxury, and certainly more opulence. They swam a bit there as well, and then it was time for Seungri to go home since he needed to be home by dinner time. The two parted with a casual handshake and broad smiles on their faces.</p><p>Jiyong returned inside after sending Seungri off and he was just ready to take a shower, wash al the chlorine off when his phone dinged a couple of times. He picked it up but wished he didn’t instantly as he saw that Daehyun texted him. It was just a simple ‘Hi’ followed by a short video, a video of Jiyong trying to drown Seungri. Jiyong started trembling immediately and entered such a panicked state that he wasn’t able to stand; he fell to the floor and started crying immediately.</p><p>With the same trembling hands, he wrote to his friends. It was time they know what’s going on since it seemed that Daehyun was hell-bent on making him pay for his sins. He felt like his whole world was about to come crashing down; he needed to stop Daehyun.</p><p>
  
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>J</strong>iyong was pacing his luxurious room, worry evident in his steps. His palms were sweating and he kept looking out the window for some reason as if he was trying to search for something, a miracle that would get him out of this mess. Still, all he saw was the water droplets hitting his window and sliding downwards. It was raining quite heavily right now, thunder and lightning accompanying the rain in a very loud manner. The sky lit up, thunder rumbled and Jiyong’s heart was pounding rapidly.</p><p>A storm was going on inside of Jiyong’s head as well; a hurricane even more powerful than what the forces of nature could muster. He was in such a depraved state that he simply didn’t know what to do. He was shaking, tearing up, and walking aimlessly around his room, waiting for his friends. He kept looking at his phone but there was no update so he pondered whether or not he should text his buddies one more time but he didn’t; they surely did get the first 5 messages and were on their way.  </p><p>He couldn’t wait to see them but at the same time, he dreaded meeting them because of what he was about to tell them. He didn’t even know how to phrase everything without looking like a complete psychopath. His friends understood him mostly, but he had to admit that his secret was dark enough to ruin their friendship. After all, who would like to be friends with an attempted murderer?</p><p>He was so messed up.</p><p>To Jiyong it felt like three hours but his friends arrived in less than 15 minutes. Whatever Jiyong wanted, it was clearly important so it was no wonder that they confronted the pouring rain for him; they were truly his best friends. Their friendship could end right now but they didn’t know that, they only knew that Jiyong did something and he needed their help. They were definitely in for a treat.</p><p>Jiyong greeted them with a small smile as they arrived in the room, escorted by a servant. The two sat on one of the big leather couches and waited for Jiyong to muster up the courage to tell the, what the hell happened. He was clearly not feeling very hot, his puffy eyes and erratic movements were confusing his friends.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I know it’s a school night and it’s late but…” Jiyong sighed as he stopped speaking to look at his friend. He sat down on an armchair in front of them and looked down, not being able to look them in the eyes. “…I messed up.”</p><p>“We figured,” Yongguk said in a calm tone.</p><p>And slowly, with a shaky voice and a soft tone, Jiyong began telling his friends about the shit he was in. With each sentence, his voice cracked even more and he had to stop just to wipe the tears off several times. His friends listened carefully, shock obvious on their faces; the usual face one has when his best friend is confessing something horrible. Yongguk and Chanyeol looked at each other for a moment but neither of them said anything for the moment.</p><p>Alas, after about fifteen minutes, Jiyong was done and with tearful eyes, he looked at his friends for guidance. He was met with concerned faces rather than the unfriendly ones he expected but he knew that something changed, he felt it.</p><p>“You’re such a dumbass,” Chanyeol spoke first. “Like, the supreme dumbass, the dumbest of dumbasses. If there was a trophy for bad ideas, you would’ve earned it already…”</p><p>“I agree,” Yongguk said in a soft tone, still trying to process the information.</p><p>“I understand if you don’t want to speak with me again, I know I’m messed up…” Jiyong said between sniffles, not even daring to look at his friends. He was very ashamed of what he did and terrified of the consequences of his actions.</p><p>“Aren’t we all?” Yongguk said with a soft tone. “I didn’t realize how badly Dami’s death affected you,” he continued in the same soft tone causing Jiyong to look at him. “You know you can talk to us about anything, right? We’re basically brothers at this point so there’s no need to hide if you feel down, especially when it comes to mental health. We’re here for you.”</p><p>“Yeah, and we know you’re a dumbass as well so before doing anything, consult with us, don’t rush into things like that…” Chanyeol added, now smiling towards Jiyong.</p><p>“I…this means a lot to me…” Jiyong said with a smile.</p><p>The three talked, and Jiyong shared in more detail about the threat that Daehyun was. He had a compromising video of Jiyong, a video that could destroy him, his career, and even his family’s good reputation. He really didn’t want to hurt his parents, they’ve been through a lot and even though the relationship between them isn’t the best, Jiyong still cares about them and tried not getting into scandals or anything. Getting this to the media meant the end of Kwon Jiyong.</p><p>“Do you have a plan?” Chanyeol asked.</p><p>“I was thinking of scaring him enough so he won’t do anything…” Jiyong said with a serious tone.</p><p>“We can do that but…” Yongguk paused and looked at Jiyong with a serious tone. “…you have to tell Seungri about this. Sooner or later he’ll find out and things can get really messy. You have to tell him, explain what you’re going through and apologize. Also, I think it’s good if you take a few therapy sessions as well, it might help you,” the brunet continued, offering the best advice he could.</p><p>“I will tell him, but after the competition, I don’t want him to quit because of me and miss out on an amazing opportunity to be recognized; he’s a good swimmer,” Jiyong said with a calm tone. Chanyeol couldn’t help but chuckle.</p><p>“Remember when we promised to make their lives a living hell? Look at us now, actually collaborating with them and enjoying it…”</p><p>“They’re good guys,” Yongguk commented while a smile danced on his face; for some reason he kept thinking of Himchan.</p><p>•</p><p>The next morning, at school things, were pretty quiet. Jiyong, Chanyeol, and Yongguk –the three musketeers of the institute- were obviously tired but they were trying to pay attention to what the teachers were saying. For the most part, things were kind of boring but they pushed through their need to sleep heroically –through their mind was mostly focused on their beds at home.</p><p>The three had formed a plan last night but had yet to put it to use as they didn’t have any common class together. However, this changed just after lunchtime. They wanted to corner Daehyun in a secluded place, one where they would be hidden from any curious eyes, and the toilet on the second floor seemed to be the place. Jiyong entered the toilet in order to take care of his needs and just after he finished, Daehyun entered as well, his eyes fixated on the brunet. He kept lurking the whole day, trying to intimidate Jiyong.</p><p>“Enjoyed the video?” Daehyun asked, coming right beside Jiyong as he was washing his hands. Jiyong looked at him through the mirror and clenched his fists wanting to punch that smirk on his face into oblivion. Jiyong seemed calm and unbothered but deep down, the rage he was feeling was indescribable.</p><p>Jiyong turned to look at Daehyun and suddenly a smile crept on his face as he saw Yongguk and Chanyeol just entering the room and closing the door behind them. Daehyun didn’t have the time or the speed to react as he was flung against the cold tile wall of the bathroom by none other than Yongguk.</p><p>“We didn’t,” Yongguk said in his characteristic deep voice as he tightened the grip around Daehyun’s neck. The latter was simply too shocked to react at first, only gasped as he was running out of air; a terrified look was upon his face.</p><p>“You like playing games, huh?” Chanyeol asked, approaching him. By this time, the blond was shaking in fear and the sight of the tall guy brought shivers down his spine. “Why don’t you play with us instead?”</p><p>Yongguk released Daehyun from his death grip causing the latter to fall down on the floor, completely flabbergasted by the whole situation. Still, the boys were not done with him just yet as Chanyeol grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him upwards in the next moment. Daehyun was visibly scared, he was shaking and his fear only intensified when the much taller man grabbed his shoulders tightly, squeezing them.</p><p>“Give me your phone,” Chanyeol said, his voice deep and menacing.</p><p>“N-No…” Daehyun managed to say in a shaky voice.</p><p>“You should do what I say while I am asking nicely,” Chanyeol said, a smirk creeping on his mouth as he saw the fear in the latter’s eyes. “Give me your phone!”</p><p>Daehyun didn’t respond, instead, he looked down, his chin quivering in fear as tears began pooling in his eyes. He closed his eyes, refusing to cry in front of his assailants and just shook his head, refusing to give up his phone.  </p><p>Chanyeol wasn’t the most patient man so when Daehyun refused, he decided to search for his phone. His hands quickly dipped into the pockets of Daehyun’s jeans and it wasn’t long before Chanyeol got his hands on Daehyun’s phone. Daehyun could barely put on a fight, the taller male was much stronger than him and any resistance was completely futile. The phone was passed to Yongguk who tried unlocking it only to discover it was password protected.</p><p>“Password?” Yongguk asked.</p><p>“Fuck you!” Daehyun yelled, his voice cracking and tears pouring from his eyes.</p><p>Chanyeol smirked, then using one hand he grabbed Daehyun by the chin causing the younger to look at him. “Feisty little kitty,” he smirked. “Are you sure you want to be an asshole?” he asked, now clenching his free hand into a fist. Daehyun’s eyes widened.</p><p>“D-Don’t…” he said, whimpering. He was shaking terribly, terrified of this whole ordeal.  </p><p>“Password?” Yongguk asked one more time.</p><p>“D-DaeXJae…” Daehyun revealed his password, causing the three to smirk.</p><p>“How romantic,” Yongguk said as he typed in the password, gaining access to the phone.</p><p>It took a few taps of the screen for Yongguk to get into the phone gallery and find the compromising photos and videos that Daehyun took.</p><p>“You have two options,” Jiyong said with a serious tone. “Either we delete everything here and now and forget about this mess or we take your phone. What do you prefer, Daehyunnie?”</p><p>“D-Don’t take my phone, please…” Daehyun whimpered, tears falling on his cheeks. He couldn’t even look at the three. “Y-You can delete everything.”</p><p>“Do you have copies?” Yongguk asked.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Are you lying?”</p><p>“I…I swear…I don’t…”</p><p>Yongguk proceeded to delete everything that would incriminate Jiyong. The video and photos were completely wiped off the device in the next moment, leaving no trace of any misbehavior. Hopefully, Daehyun wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t have copies but the guys doubted he will try anything like that again.</p><p>“I hope you take this as a lesson,” Jiyong said, now approaching the younger. He looked at the whimpering boy with disgust. “Don’t ever mess with the dragon, you will get burned,” he continued, glaring menacingly at the blond. “Understood?”</p><p>“Y-Yes…” Daehyun whimpered, looking down and trying to stop himself from crying.</p><p>Yongguk placed the phone down on the floor at Daehyun’s legs and then the three proceeded to exit the bathroom. They left Daehyun there, a crying, whimpering mess; the poor guy was utterly terrified.</p><p>Later that day, the swimming couch announced that Daehyun won’t be participating in the contest due to unforeseen medical reasons. It wasn’t the best news, since they needed to find another person in a very short amount of time but the coach advised them not to worry too much and always do their best, he will take care of finding a replacement as fast as ever. Jiyong couldn’t help but smirk when he heard the news.</p><p>
  <b>Several months later</b>
</p><p>
  <em>Yongguk entered the small interrogation room followed by the detective that was conducting the case. She said he’s here for routine questions, typical in these types of investigations but nothing seemed to be typical about her demeanor and the way she spoke. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He sat down and for the first minutes, she asked routine questions, about his friends, his relationship with others, and school as well. She kept looking at him with that specific glare, one that told Yongguk that he was seen as a prime suspect. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“How would you describe your relationship with Jiyong and Chanyeol? You’re very tight, is that right?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We are like brothers.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’d do anything for each other, is that right?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Anything is quite a loose term. Yes, we help each other a lot when one of us gets into a sticky situation,” Yongguk answered calmly, not knowing where the conversation is going. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Is it true that sometimes you would use force to get what you want?” she asked. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What are you implying, detective? I don’t beat people up for fun or for my friends.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“But you do enjoy scaring them, right?” she asked, now with a knowing smile dancing on her lips. “Does the name Jung Daehyun ring a bell?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yes, he was blackmailing Jiyong and you could say we scared him off. We didn’t beat him up though; it was more like an intense talk.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I understand. So it seems that you’d do pretty much anything for your friends if they asked you,” she said and paused, looking at him again with a suspicious glare. “Did you help Chanyeol in the attempted murder as well?”</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>I</strong>t was a gloomy day, one of those dark days when the sun is barely visible and thick gray clouds were covering the sky. It was the perfect day to take several naps or read your favorite book but of course, not everyone had the luxury of doing that; some people had school or work to go to. Going to school and actually be productive was a daunting task, one that unfortunately the boys had to do. The day seemed to be cursed from the beginning as the teachers thought it would be nice, to begin with a surprise 5-minute quiz; that made everyone’s day absolutely horrible. Things were just not going well.</p><p>Himchan had his share of misfortunate events today but he won’t let a bit of bad luck ruin his day, especially considering that after school he will have another study session with Yongguk. As silly as it sounds, he was looking forward to that. He hated to admit it –and probably won’t if asked- but he developed a small crush on a certain curly-haired, deep-voiced handsome man. It wasn’t technically a crush, but he enjoyed spending time with Yongguk and talking a lot. It was incredibly easy for them to be lost in conversations and who didn’t want to hear the deep voice of Yongguk explaining things; it was so damn sexy. It was a plus that Yongguk was easy on the eyes, and honestly, this whole studying thing was the best thing that Himchan experienced. He never thought they could become friends but over the course of a few sessions, it happened and now they’re even texting each other. Yongguk was also very nice and polite –though they had quite a rocky start- and despite being filthy rich, he didn’t discriminate Himchan in any way. When they were together they were equal and that made Himchan like him more. Yes, he developed a crush but he won’t let his feelings get in the way of the contest; he was 100% focused on that.</p><p>“Aish, that’s so hard…” Himchan complained as he gave the wrong answers to three questions out of five that Yongguk asked. Granted, he got a bit lost because of the baritone voice of the other explaining certain stuff to him. He swore he could listen to Yongguk for hours, even talking about the most mundane things on Earth.</p><p>“Are you feeling okay? You seem to be spacing out,” Yongguk asked, concerned for his team-mate.</p><p>Himchan nodded, “yes, just a slight headache, that’s all. I’m sorry, I’ll focus more.”</p><p>They continued, asking each other questions and studying the answers and things were getting a bit better as Himchan was finally giving the correct answers and not spacing out. This was becoming a very productive day and both of them were happy with the progress made. For a while things were quiet but something, or rather someone was about to disturb the quietness of the room.</p><p>The door to Yongguk’s room flung open, revealing none other than his girlfriend, Roseanne. They haven’t hung out in a while and of course, she was feeling lonely and wanted to check in on her dear boyfriend. The relationship between the two was kind of cold at this moment and she wanted to change that by paying a surprise visit to her lovely boo and make his day a little sweeter just the way she knew how.</p><p>“Gukkie!” she said, startling both Himchan and Yongguk with her high-pitched voice. She entered, nonchalantly like she owned the place before the two could even react properly.</p><p>“Rosé, what are you doing here?” Yongguk asked, surprised by her appearance. She wasn’t here since that unfortunate incident that destroyed one of Yongguk’s canvases.</p><p>“Can’t I come over to see my handsome boyfriend?” she asked, heading towards the teenager with a beaming smile on her face. She didn’t even seem to acknowledge Himchan yet.</p><p>“I told you I was busy studying,” Yongguk said in a calm voice, though with a small smile on his face. She instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and started planting kisses on his face and lips, all while he tried stopping her.</p><p>Meanwhile, Himchan was witnessing the whole thing with a very stoic and serious expression on his face. To say he felt awkward was kind of an understatement, he wanted to disappear out of there and let the two continue on with their frolics but as much as he wanted teleportation to be real, it wasn’t so he was stuck there.</p><p>“I know you,” she then said, turning towards Himchan who seemed even more mortified at this moment. “You are that server from the party right? Why are you sitting there and not bringing us food and drinks?” she said, causing Himchan’s eyes to widen three times their size.</p><p>“Roseanne, this is my colleague, Himchan. He’s my partner for the contest I told you about,” Yongguk said in a serious tone, throwing an apologetic look to Himchan who seemed completely flabbergasted.</p><p>“Oh, well,” she paused for a moment to look at the guy from head to toe. “He still should bring us refreshments if he works as a server…”</p><p>“Language, Roseanne, you shouldn’t speak to anyone like that regardless of their statue or occupation,” Yongguk spoke in a serious tone but she just rolled her eyes and smiled at him. “Anyway, you should leave, I am very busy with my studies and I can’t hang out today,” Yongguk continued in the same tone.</p><p>“But Gukkie, you always say you’re busy!” she whined, playfully hitting his chest. “I want to hang out with my boyfriend!” she continued, pouting in hopes to change Yongguk’s mind.</p><p>“Later, I am too busy,” Yongguk said, hoping to convince her.</p><p>“Actually, I was just about to leave,” Himchan said as he started gathering his studying material. Then, he got up from the couch and looked at the couple in front of him. “See you at school, Yongguk,” he said before turning around and leaving.</p><p>“Byeeeee!” Roseanne said, smirking as she finally got Yongguk by herself now. “It was nice to meet you!”</p><p>“I wish I could say that as well but I would be lying,” Himchan said before he got out of the room.</p><p>Himchan didn’t look back, storming out of the Bang villa as fast as he could. He headed home immediately, trying hard to calm down in order not to break down in tears in the middle of the street. Thankfully, when he arrived home he was alone so there was no one to ask him about the tears in his eyes.</p><p>A twinge of sadness came crushing to his heart but the reasons behind it weren’t the harsh words that Roseanne threw in his face. He was used to rich people ridicule them, used to the bad words, and all the ‘I am better than you’ crap so he paid no mind to that egotistical bitch. Instead, the reason behind his sadness was Yongguk and Himchan’s realization that he might have a crush on the guy.</p><p>It felt like God was playing a trick on him. Out of every guy in Seoul, he had to fall for the rich, straight, and unavailable guy. He couldn’t believe why such an educated, mannered, genuinely nice guy was in a relationship with that airhead. Sure, she was hot but he didn’t think Yongguk was so superficial or was he?</p><p>He shook his head and locked himself in his room, lighting up a joint after a few minutes in order to calm down. No, he has to stop these stupid feelings from developing. Yongguk would never look at him in that way so lusting over him would only cause heartbreak and pain, things he doesn’t need right now. He kept saying that to himself while his heart was in denial and pain; gosh it hurt so much.</p><p>•</p><p>As soon as Seungri and Jiyong arrived in the pool area of the school, the coach delivered them the bad news. The competition was not far away so finding a replacement that would not slow down the team was impossible and neither of the swim team members was suitable for this task. So, the two would remain the only two participating and that meant a lot more hard work. Still, there was a silver lining into all of this as the opponent teams were forced to cut one member as well, just to balance out things. The competition became even harder and though the coach was positive and happy with their results, the two were worried.</p><p>The two began training immediately and for the first minutes, things were going alright. Seungri and Jiyong got along pretty well; they communicated and gave each other proper advice and truly working as a team. They pushed each other to do better, encouraging, and cheering for one another. Their times were getting better but they knew they had to push even more to get the best results. Jiyong knew the opponents from the other schools and knew that this competition will be as fierce as ever.</p><p>About halfway through the training, Seungri got out of the pool and sat at the edge of the pool, holding his shoulder. The key to every successful sport was warming up your body properly and Seungri kind of skipped that today as he was more focused on the results. Now, his shoulder started hurting pretty badly and he had to stop for a few moments. Jiyong went to him immediately.</p><p>“You ok?” Jiyong asked, sitting beside the brunet.</p><p>“Yeah, just a slight pain,” Seungri lied, not wanting to worry the other. He was sure the pain would go away eventually. He kept massaging his shoulder but that wasn’t really helping at this point.</p><p>“Let me help,” Jiyong said, pushing Seungri’s hand away. He was used to shoulder pain and knew that it was better for someone to massage it than do it on your own, it was more effective like that.  </p><p>A slight yelp escaped Seungri’s mouth as Jiyong’s hands touched his shoulder, his fingers massaging the area slightly. “I haven’t warmed up properly,” the younger admitted with a slight chuckle. Jiyong chuckled as well.</p><p>“Warming up is important,” Jiyong said, continuing to massage the area, applying pressure gradually in order to not hurt his team-mate. Soft grunts escaped the younger’s mouth but he started feeling a lot better. Jiyong’s touches were hard and soft at the same time, and though this interaction was platonic as ever, Seungri couldn’t help noticing how hot Ji’s fingers were against his skin, or how his body was so very close to him. “I know you are under a lot of stress,” Jiyong began, his voice low and as soothing as ever, “but I can assure you that you’re doing amazing. You’re a great swimmer and you need to take care of your body okay? Warm-up as much as you need and always pace yourself, there’s no need to exhaust yourself because of this. It’s just the two of us now and I know we can win this but we need to pace ourselves. Understood?”</p><p>“Y-Yes,” Seungri said –honestly, he moaned out the answer but that’s just because Jiyong pressed harder on his shoulder.</p><p>Jiyong continued touching Seungri’s shoulder –and his chest and back a few times- and Seungri tried hard not imagining other things; oh teenage hormones be damned. He closed his eyes and tried focusing on the pain but even that was giving him a slight boner in his very tight speedos. Eventually, the pain subdued –being replaced with pleasure- and Seungri knew it was time for them to stop otherwise things could get awkward very fast.</p><p>“Thank you,” Seungri said with a smile. “I feel way better.”</p><p>“Anytime,” Jiyong said, getting up and jumping in the pool in the next moment. Seungri’s eyes widened, as he saw the bulge in Jiyong’s speedos as well. Was he just imagining things? Was that because of the massage?</p><p>
  <strong>•</strong>
</p><p>Chanyeol’s singing voice was damn sexy; that’s the thought that was flying through Baekhyun’s head at the moment. The rehearsals were going well, each of them was developing their vocal skills and the results were quite promising. Sure, there were a few mishaps but the two were working hard on getting past any of the issues. Chanyeol was tasked with singing the lower parts of the songs while Baekhyun was handling the higher ones and their voices were blending together quite nicely. The deep baritone voice was just perfect for the honey vocals of the younger. Baekhyun kept looking at Chanyeol, even after he stopped singing and was mesmerized by his voice. Well, maybe not only by his voice…</p><p>Something was happening and Baekhyun just couldn’t figure out what, and he hated it. He thought about Chanyeol a lot, and when he did he was becoming so very happy. He was excited every time they met and just loved hearing the other talk; it was weird and he hated that he didn’t understand what was happening.</p><p>Baekhyun then started exercising his parts and still had trouble reaching the desired notes. For some reason, his voice trembled and he just couldn’t focus properly; he even messed up the lyrics that he had to sing. He tried again and again but there was no use, he just couldn’t get to the high notes; his voice was straining badly.</p><p>“Are you feeling okay?” Chanyeol asked as they were taking a much-deserved break. Baekhyun seemed to be lost in his own world, staring blankly at the wall in Chanyeol’s room.</p><p>“Yeah, I think so…” the blond replied, sighing heavily. “Sorry, I don’t know what’s happening, I can’t concentrate.”</p><p>“Are you stressed about the competition?”</p><p>“I guess so…” Baekhyun sighed heavily. He really didn’t know why he was feeling so weird so he naturally blamed it on the competition and the stress it brought.</p><p>“You have no reasons to be stressed, really none, because your voice is phenomenal and your control over it is very good. You don’t have to hit the highest notes, you just need to hit the notes that you’re comfortable with and to sing the song at your own pace and style. You’re amazing, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol said while a smile was constantly dancing on his lips. This made Baekhyun blush, he felt his cheeks redden and couldn’t do anything about it, he tried hiding but there was no use, Chanyeol probably saw it.</p><p>He indeed saw it but chose not to comment as he didn’t want to make Baekhyun feel uncomfortable. He saw that the younger’s behavior changed a bit these days but he thought it could be from all the pressure he was under. For Chanyeol, the competition was already won, he knew that they were the best and knew that Baekhyun will absolutely hit those notes.</p><p>After the short break, they went back to singing, with Chanyeol encouraging Baekhyun every step of the way. The younger managed to relax and actually hit those high notes with no real problem. The notes were so impressive that Chanyeol forgot to play the guitar; getting lost in the beautiful sound of the younger’s voice. Yep, he was certain that they will win this.</p><p>“See, you did it! You’re amazing!” Chanyeol said, grinning.</p><p>“Thanks,” the younger blushed again. His heart was pounding once again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>hings were quiet the following morning as the ‘unholy trinity’ as they were going to school. It was a gloomy, windy, and cold day and usually, Himchan would complain about the weather –or everything in fact, but not today. The three were walking quietly, and not talking much. Himchan was quiet, almost too quiet but when asked if he was okay, he just nodded and told his friends that he hasn’t slept well –the diva and his beauty sleep.</p><p>Himchan dug his hands deeper into the windbreaker and hoped he’ll get to school soon so he would be warmer; these clothes were cute and all but they weren’t too warm. He was tired, he hasn’t slept well last night and his head was hurting at the moment. The reason, well, what happened yesterday kind of messed him up. No, it wasn’t because of that bitchy Roseanne and her snobbish remarks regarding his wealth; it was because of Yongguk.</p><p>He had done it; he once again fell for the world’s most unavailable guy there was. For weeks he denied having any types of feelings for the curly-haired gummy-smile guy but at the same time, he kept thinking about him. Yongguk’s personality, kindness, humor, and intelligence got Himchan hooked though he knew he shouldn’t do this. He was off-limits, now more than ever but still, Himchan felt more attracted this way. We all do things that we shouldn’t do, right?</p><p>Yongguk was straight and had a beautiful –yet very dumb- girlfriend. Say anything you want about that bitchy Roseanne but she was model-beautiful, something Himchan could never compete with. And to make matters worse, they belonged in two different worlds that rarely collided. He needed to get over him quickly; he won’t go down on that rabbit hole.</p><p>The conversations continued but Himchan paid no mind to them –not even when Seungri suggested he was on his period; he could’ve come up with a snarky remark but chose not to since right now he didn’t want to deal with anything. Eventually, the three arrived at the school and each went in different directions with Himchan heading straight for the locker room in order to pick up his books for the upcoming class.</p><p>“Hi…” the deep voice of Yongguk that came from behind him almost made him drop his books. Instantly he felt shivers down his spine and his heart began racing.</p><p>“Hey,” he replied softly, as he continued getting the books that he needed. At this point, he began clearing up his locker as he had a hard time remembering what class he had next.</p><p>“I wanted to talk to you about yesterday,” Yongguk said, pausing for a moment. “I apologize for the things that Roseanne said, her behavior was unacceptable and it won’t happen again,” his tone was indeed apologetic.</p><p>Himchan closed his locker and turned towards the elder, smiling softly, “It's ok, I am used to it.”</p><p>“She said really hurtful things and I apologize on her behalf,” Yongguk continued.</p><p>“I said it’s okay, apology accepted,” Himchan said, as he was trying to get away from the awkward conversation as soon as possible. He couldn’t deny that Yongguk apologizing so profoundly was cute and that it made his heart race once again.</p><p>Without another word, Himchan turned around and started heading towards the next class. He wanted to get away from Yongguk for a moment and calm down but it seemed that the latter wasn’t getting the message. “Uhm…I was thinking that we should make up for the lost time and meet earlier today? Does after school sound good? You can come over right away and we can…”</p><p>Himchan cut him off, “I don’t need to make up for the lost time, I studied the questions last night. I am busy today.”</p><p>“Oh, okay. Next time then…” Yongguk said, a bit taken aback by the cold tone of Himchan. He could tell the younger was upset but he didn’t want to pressure him too much. He felt bad for what Roseanne said but he felt worse than he didn’t stop her in time. He should’ve said something but he was too taken aback to react properly and by the time he realized it, Himchan already left.</p><p>•</p><p>Baekhyun entered the classroom for his first period, Korean literature. The subject wasn’t very hard but definitely not one to start the day with especially considering that the teacher was kind of weird and always looked like she was in a bad mood. By the time he arrived most of the seats were already taken but he saw someone familiar waving at him from the back of the class, Park Chanyeol himself. He smiled –and tried to ignore his rapid heart beating- as he headed towards his colleague and now his friend. It was weird as they were ready to kill each other last month and now they are sitting in the same booth. Still, Chanyeol wasn’t as bad as Baekhyun thought and the two managed to develop some kind of friendship.</p><p>“Good morning,” Chanyeol said, as Baekhyun sat down next to him.</p><p>“Good morning,” Baekhyun replied, smiling. “Thanks for the seat.”</p><p>“It’s the best seat in the classroom,” Chanyeol said, causing Baekhyun to chuckle.</p><p>The teacher entered as soon as the bell rang and it seemed she was in one of her moods again. She instantly announced a surprise test from the last five lessons causing everyone in the classroom to gasp. Chanyeol was visibly mortified, his eyes wide and mouth agape while Baekhyun was as nervous as ever. The morning has definitely not started well.</p><p>The quiz started and the questions were not the easiest. Chanyeol was looking at the piece of paper dumbfounded. The truth was that he didn’t study; he didn’t even like this class –nor the teacher. He sighed deeply, concentrating and trying to find the answers in his mind but to no alas, his mind was no place for Korean literature.</p><p>On the other hand, it seemed that Baekhyun had all the answers as he was writing at an incredible speed. Chanyeol looked at him for a few moments, noting how the blond grimaced whenever he wrote something by mistake, how he bit his lips and scrunched his nose when he thought of an answer or how he –very cutely- smiled as he was getting a good idea. To Chanyeol these expressions were the highlight of the morning but of course, he wouldn’t admit it if someone asked.</p><p>Minutes passed and Chanyeol’s paper was still blank, it was no use. He bit his bottom lip in frustration, he can’t fail another class, his father would absolutely disown him if something like that happened; he already saved him before this semester and he can’t take advantage of that once more. He pondered over a saving solution and when Baekhyun suddenly looked at him, an idea popped into his mind though he wasn’t sure the younger would help him.</p><p>“Psst…Baek…” he whispered, softly so that the teacher won’t hear. “Baek…”</p><p>“What?” Baekhyun replied in the same whispered voice.</p><p>“Help? I wrote nothing and I will fail…” Chanyeol spoke. “Please.”</p><p>“You should’ve studied,” Baekhyun said with a soft yet cold tone, looking at his paper which was somewhat complete at this point.</p><p>Chanyeol knew it, he knew Baekhyun won’t be keen on helping him, especially after everything that happened in the beginning but he was very desperate right now. Still, the tall teenager was a charmer and he knew how to beg for a grade, he did it a lot through high school, and so he thought turning on the charm in order to get help. He suddenly touched Baekhyun’s leg causing the younger to spasm and gasp lightly. The blond turned his head to him with a mortified expression on his now crimson face.</p><p>“Please! Please! Please! I’ll do anything for you! Please!” he whispered, his hand still on the knee of the younger.</p><p>Baekhyun gulped, his heart racing 100 miles per hour at this point. He felt hot and cold at the same time, shivering yet sweating and he didn’t understand why. Was it the fear of getting caught or the fact that the hand of Chanyeol was resting on his knee? Baekhyun couldn’t tell. He sighed deeply, calming his body down for a moment, as he was thinking what to do; Chanyeol’s puppy eyes were extremely convincing but so was the failing grade he will receive if he was caught. Still, he decided to do a good deed, after all that was what God taught him –though this could be qualified as a sin as well. He swiftly swapped papers with Chanyeol and began writing everything that he knew and also making sure that the papers weren’t alike. He had 25 minutes to create a passable paper which was quite the chore and Chanyeol’s hand still on his knee wasn’t helping.</p><p>By the time the bell rang, Baekhyun was done and he was not caught. Each student handed the papers to the teacher and then left the class, hoping for a good grade. Chanyeol was by far the happiest of the students, grinning from ear to ear.</p><p>“Thank you! You’re a lifesaver!” Chanyeol said as soon as they got out of the class. Baekhyun chuckled. “If you have any problem, anything, just call me ok? I’ll do anything for you!” Chanyeol expressed his gratitude in high words.</p><p>“Careful with those words, I might use them against you,” Baekhyun said, causing the taller male to chuckle. “Just study the next time, ok?”</p><p>“Okay!” Chanyeol said, and watched as the younger was heading to his locker. “See you at practice!” he yelled as he headed in the opposite position. Baekhyun nodded and waved a smile on his face and a blush on his cheeks.</p><p>•</p><p>The school day was as boring and uneventful as ever and Jiyong wanted nothing more than to arrive home and relax. He was under a lot of stress lately and that caused him to do some weird things that might or might not have consequences in the future so he was almost always on edge. Whoever said rich boys have it easy did not know Jiyong and the shit he always gets into, he’s like a beacon of bad news and misfortunate happenings.</p><p>When he arrived home to his luxurious mansion, he was greeted with a not so pleasant sight. In front of the villa, there were a couple of police cars and instantly Jiyong had a bad feeling about this. When he entered the villa, there were about a dozen police officers and his father in the villa’s living room, talking, adding up to his confusion. Then, a few minutes after Jiyong arrived home, the officers left.</p><p>“Why were they here?” Jiyong asked, entering the living room where his father was still. The man poured himself a glass of Scotch and was enjoying it when the teenager entered the room. “Is there something wrong?”</p><p>“No, nothing is wrong,” his father said with a small smile on his lips. “As you know, I am planning on expanding and they needed to make sure everything is alright with the family business. We had a little talk, that’s all,” he continued, then sipped from the glass.</p><p>“Oh, okay,” Jiyong said with a smile.</p><p>“How are you? How was school?”</p><p>“School was fine, like always,” Jiyong said, not giving too many details. “Is the indoor pool heated? My colleague is coming here for a swim and I don’t want us to be freezing.”</p><p>“Yes,” the man said after taking a small sip. Though he seemed to be alright, Jiyong felt like there was something on his mind; he didn’t pressure because he knew that his father could be triggered by any small thing. “By the way, you won. I came to the conclusion that modifying Dami’s room would not do my grief any good. I’ll leave everything as it was,” he said, still with the same soft smile dancing on his lips. Jiyong grinned.</p><p>“Thank you,” Jiyong bowed politely.</p><p>With a smile on his face, Jiyong exited the living room and headed straight to the room of his passed sister. He stood at the door for a few moments before entering just as he did when he was much smaller, waiting for her to give him permission to enter –though he was always welcomed. He sighed as he took his first steps into the room and headed right towards the bed. He sat down for a few moments and looked around.</p><p>The slightly open drawer of the nightstand caught his attention, making him wonder who opened it in the first place. There weren’t many who had the key to this room, and only a few members of the staff are allowed to come here and clean; maybe it was one of them who let the drawer open by mistake. He opened the drawer more, finding nothing except Dami’s old diary.</p><p>She used to write a lot in it when she was little but she stopped as she became a teenager but kept the notebook as it contained beautiful memories of her childhood. Jiyong never looked through it, though he didn’t think she would’ve minded much, they were very close and haven’t had too many secrets kept from one another.</p><p>Jiyong smiled, touching the paper slightly, and then sighed as he realized just how much he missed her around. He kept browsing through the notebook until he came across an envelope. He picked it up and examined it, his eyes widening as he saw his name written on it. The writing was definitely Dami’s and Jiyong’s heart started racing immediately. Intrigued, he decided to open it but just as he was about to do it, a soft knock on the door startled him.</p><p>“Mr. Kwon, your guest has arrived and is waiting in the indoor pool area,” a staff member said. Jiyong nodded and immediately took the envelope with him and placed the notebook back in the drawer, closing it.</p><p>“Lock the door, please,” Jiyong said to the staff member as he exited the room and headed to his training session with Seungri. Opening the envelope will have to wait though Jiyong was really curious about what his sister had to say to him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>My dear, dear Jiyong,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>By the time you read this, I would probably be disowned or worse. But don’t worry about me, I am happy; happier than I have ever been. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>You’re the best brother anyone could ask for and I can’t thank you enough for helping me whenever I needed it. I want to say sorry for dragging you into this mess, I know it’s been hard for you but I hope you can forgive me and not pin me as the bad person in all of this. I am just trying to live a normal life with the person I love but sadly our father doesn’t understand this. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I love Hyunwoo, with all my heart and I am sure I want to spend the rest of my life with him regardless of his status. I found love, and I am loved regardless of my money, or my family. I don’t want servers, mansions, or stacks of money, I want happiness. Was this too much to ask? I hope you understand my decision to leave and you don’t begin hating me. You’re still my brother and that won’t ever change. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I am writing this because I want you to be careful. You’ll most likely become the heir of the family’s business and fortune and though this might sound like a good thing, I am skeptical of the whole business that father is running. Be wary because things aren’t always what they seem and the real world hits like a truck. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I am not trying to ruin our father’s image to you. Despite everything, I don’t hate him but I wish he wouldn’t be blinded by money and status and look around him. I am afraid for him, afraid that he’ll lose everything. Please don’t give in, don’t let him take you into the family business so soon, give it time and make sure everything is…legal. Please, be careful brother. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I don’t know where Hyunwoo and I are going, far away hopefully but I don’t want to lose connection with you. I’ll contact you and hopefully, you can come and visit me, I don’t want to lose my brother. I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Forever your sister, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dami.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>PS. I know you will find this letter because you always liked snooping through my things. You little loveable brat! &lt;3</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>A tear rolled on Jiyong’s cheeks as he read the letter for the twelfth time. He was locked up in his room, just him and the bottle of alcohol he managed to sneak in, at the edge of his bed reading the letter he had found continuously. He hugged the piece of paper to his chest and sighed deeply, missing his sister a whole lot more.</p><p>He read the words over and over, countless times and it was like he could hear his sister saying those words, in front of him. She was easily the most important person in his life and losing her like that really affected him. The letter offered a bit of closure, knowing that she was happy with the man she chose and it wasn’t all about money and that she didn’t want to cut ties with Jiyong.</p><p>As heartwarming –and also heartbreaking- the letter was, Jiyong felt that there was more to it, it felt like a warning. She talks briefly about their father, the family business, and warns Jiyong to be wary of it. Was this a warning to Jiyong or just the words of a suffering woman? She said she didn’t hate her father but Jiyong didn’t believe that, especially after he had seen his sister getting slapped by him. And for what? For choosing someone not as wealthy to love? What bullshit.</p><p>Was their father the true villain of this family drama? He wasn’t innocent, that’s for sure and always blamed her for ruining the family but what if he was the one who actually ruined it? Money had blinded him and turned him from a loving father to an obsessed man. One thing is certain, their father was coaxing Jiyong to join the family business, all summer Jiyong was by the office learning about the famous Kwon business empire. Jiyong wasn’t sure he wanted that, but out of respect for his father, he didn’t say anything and went along with it but now, he wasn’t sure. What if he says no and has the same fate as Dami?</p><p>Questions upon questions were going through his head. He fell on the bed, letter in his hand, and tears in his eyes. Then, he remembered the alcohol bottle that he ‘borrowed’ and decided to drown his sorrows.</p><p>*</p><p>“<strong>Hey, wanna study?”</strong></p><p>Himchan looked at the text he had just received and sighed deeply. Since the Roseanne incident a couple of days ago, he had avoided Yongguk like the plague. This closeness between them this past couple of weeks made Himchan fall for Yongguk hard and upon realizing it, the brunet blocked and vowed to get over the obviously straight guy as soon as possible. Well, this was way easier said than done but the ambition of Kim Himchan knew no boundaries.</p><p>Still, that damned quiz contest is approaching and they needed to study and so they needed to meet up. So far Himchan came with dozens of excuses but he kind of ran out of them and he also needed to study hard because he was falling behind.</p><p>So he gave in, after a ferocious battle with his ego, and texted Yongguk back. However, he told Yongguk to come over since he wasn’t feeling like going to the elder’s villa and possibly meet with the snobby girlfriend of his again –God knows the willpower he had not to maul her. Yongguk agreed immediately.</p><p>Himchan ordered some pizza and then tidied up around his room. His parents were at work so he just quickly called them to let them know that a colleague of his was coming over. Yongguk arrived about forty minutes later, and greeted Himchan as usually by flashing his perfect gummy smile that could brighten anyone’s day –it also had an effect on Himchan, though it was a more hormonal one.</p><p>Grabbing the boxes of pizza and the snacks and drinks that Yongguk brought along, they entered Himchan’s room and so the study session had begun. Himchan’s room wasn’t as huge as Yongguk’s, in fact, it was minuscule compared to that immense room but it was cozy and it smelled really nice –of vanilla and magnolia. They sat on the floor, face to face, asking each other questions, answering and occasionally talking.</p><p>The atmosphere was different; it was a lot more awkward, with long pauses between sentences and stolen glances, especially on Himchan’s side. There was surely tension, both of them felt it but only one of them knew why.</p><p>“Are you upset with me or something?” Yongguk asked as he looked at Himchan munching on a slice of pizza. The latter almost choked hearing the question, his face got all red and he started sweating already.</p><p>“No…” Himchan said immediately after he recovered from his coughing.</p><p>“You sure? You seem…off…”</p><p>“I’m tired and a bit stressed about this whole competition.”</p><p>“Relax, we will win, I promise you,” Yongguk said with a smile. Gosh, how much could a smile hurt? Himchan was devastated by his cuteness. He was going insane.</p><p>They continued studying and talking awkwardly, the tension not subduing one bit. Meanwhile, Himchan’s parents arrived home but chose not to disturb the studying boys –for now at least. The awkward study session continued for about an hour more, and things were running smoothly, way smoother than before. Himchan aced all the questions and was feeling really good, really proud of himself. Maybe having Yongguk here wasn’t too bad.</p><p>A broken glass and the distinct sound of arguments could be heard and instantly Himchan’s eyes went wide. Yongguk didn’t say anything, though it seemed that the fight was pretty intense. They tried ignoring it but it only got bigger and bigger, up until the point Himchan had to go and see what the hell is happening with his family.</p><p>“Excuse me,” Himchan got up and got out of the door.</p><p>It didn’t take long until he found his parents, in the kitchen, arguing about the glass that just broke and obviously both of them drunk out of their minds. Himchan’s eyes widened, it was like a nightmare was unfolding before his eyes. It was quite obvious that his parents couldn’t keep away from booze for too long and now they were making fools out of themselves –and embarrassing Himchan who had an important guest over.</p><p>Himchan tried hard not to lose his composure and decided to intervene between their drunken parents. He told them to stop, slowly and calmly at first but they didn’t even acknowledge him being there, they just continued yelling at each other. Then, the teenager got closer, stepping right between the two feuding partners. He tried to calm them down but it was no use, they just continued to get more heated with each passing second. He got bolder and decided to take their bottles out of their hands but the moment he got closer to his father, he struck him forcefully, causing him to fell on the floor with a loud thud. Yongguk got out of the room as well, hearing the commotion and wondering what is actually going on. He witnessed the whole thing and just stood there with his mouth agape and eyes wide.</p><p>Himchan falling on the floor caused his parents to stop but neither of them rushed to help Himchan; instead, they just stood there and looked at him in their drunken haze. It was silent for a moment, neither of them said anything; it looked like time stood still. Himchan’s mother was the first to do something, approaching Himchan slowly, kneeling beside him.</p><p>“Get out!” Himchan said while holding his bruised cheek. Tears were falling from his eyes as he looked at his mother with an unfriendly expression. “Get the fuck out!” he yelled before he started sobbing.</p><p>The two adults left, mumbling incoherent words on their way out while in the meantime Yongguk watched the whole scene with astonishment. Was this Himchan’s life, he wondered, as he looked at the latter curled up on the floor and crying. He immediately rushed towards him.</p><p>Himchan felt like he reached rock bottom. His cheek was bruised and burning from the hit; he was shaking uncontrollably and couldn’t stop crying. He was wrong, his parents didn’t change and their ‘responsible adult’ act crumbled to pieces as the first drop of alcohol touched their tongues. He gasped when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him and his breath almost stopped when he realized that it was actually Yongguk embracing him.</p><p>He broke down completely, sobbing and crying all while Yongguk held him and tried calming him down. Himchan couldn’t help it, he just cried and let out all the piled up negativity that gathered over the past weeks. He felt embarrassed, being such a woos in front of Yongguk but he had enough and had to let it out somehow. Yongguk didn’t say anything, he just held Himchan; He was used to comforting his friends, he did it a lot to Jiyong just after Dami died.</p><p>It took a moment for Himchan to actually calm down but when he did, he started feeling butterflies in his stomach because of the tight embrace that Yongguk was giving him. He could smell the manly cologne Yongguk was wearing and he could feel his warm breath on him; he could feel himself blushing madly.</p><p>“S-Sorry you had to witness this…”</p><p>“It’s okay…” Yongguk said with a smile. “Are you feeling better?”</p><p>“Yes,” Himchan nodded and slowly got out of the other’s embrace and got up, wiping his tears away.</p><p>What Himchan liked was that Yongguk wasn’t pressing him with questions about what happened or about his family but at the same time he wasn’t distant or awkward. He told Himchan to sit down, brought him water and a slice of pizza which was the sweetest thing that a guy ever did for him; most of the guys he was usually with didn’t care about his family situation.</p><p>It was clear that the study day was compromised beyond repair as Himchan couldn’t focus on anything. Yongguk offered support and talked with him about other subjects and that helped to some extent, he was feeling a bit better but dreaded meeting his parents again; he really doesn’t want to see them again but he has no place to go.</p><p>“Do you want me to stay longer?” Yongguk asked as he was packing up his bag.</p><p>“I’ll be okay,” Himchan smiled.</p><p>“Take care then, and see you at school…” Yongguk said, again flashing that killer smile of his. Himchan could feel his heart doing tumbles.</p><p>“Thanks for today…” Himchan smiled and Yongguk nodded.</p><p>With a quite awkward bro-hug, the two parted. As soon as Himchan closed the door, tears pooled once again in his eyes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>he next morning matched Himchan’s mood perfectly, very dark, and gloomy. He wasn’t feeling like going to school, he wasn’t feeling anything at all; he completely shut down. The events that occurred yesterday felt like an awful nightmare but sadly, it was the sad reality that he was living in. He considered himself the biggest fool for believing that his parents could change. It was too good to be true, for weeks they didn’t drink nor fight but eventually, it happened and worse, it happened in front of Himchan’s crush.</p><p>To describe how mortified Himchan was, was impossible as the latter was ready to bury himself underground and never come out. The timing couldn’t have been worse and the fact that he completely broke down wasn’t good either. Yes, he could look at the bright side, that being that Yongguk comforted him and hugged him tightly –he could still feel those strong hands around his flimsy body- but even so, he felt really embarrassed about the whole thing. Breaking down in front of his crush wasn’t on Himchan’s to-do list but once again the Universe decided to fuck with him. And oh boy was he screwed. He didn’t even want to think of the moment he and Yongguk would meet again; he was so embarrassed about what happened.</p><p>He recalled the embarrassing events to his two good friends on their way to school, and they comforted him the best they could, offering their support. Baekhyun even offered shelter for him if he wanted to leave home but Himchan declined, this time he wanted to stay home and deal with this directly. He felt lucky to have such good people by his side and felt a bit overwhelmed with the amount of support he received.</p><p>The unholy trinity split as soon as they arrived, each going on their way to the classes they had to attend. Himchan sighed as he found himself alone once again, and headed slowly towards his locker in order to get his notebooks out.</p><p>“Good morning,” came the deep voice of Yongguk that caused Himchan to almost drop his school supplies. The latter turned around and faced the –adorable- smiling Yongguk. “How are you feeling?” he asked before Himchan could say anything.</p><p>“Fine,” Himchan replied softly, though this was a total lie. He was not by any means fine.</p><p>For a moment their eyes locked and they stood still, no one moving or saying anything. Yongguk saw immediately that Himchan was not fine but decided not to comment on it; we all have different coping mechanisms. Still, he felt like he wanted to help somehow, Himchan was very bright, and a very good friend and he loved helping people. Jiyong didn’t lie when he called him a life savior, Yongguk was the type of person that healed people just by being around. Yongguk kept looking at the younger, examining him until Himchan’s deep sigh broke the spell.</p><p>“If you want to talk to someone, I am here…” Yongguk said with a soft tone. He knew that what happened was a delicate subject and so he didn’t want to overstep his boundaries.</p><p>“I am fine. I trust that what happened yesterday stays between us, right?” Himchan asked with the same soft tone, he didn’t want anyone to hear what he is going through.</p><p>“Of course, you don’t have to worry about that,” Yongguk said with a smile. “We’re friends, after all, right?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Himchan sighed. “We’re friends…” he said as he turned around and went towards his class.</p><p>The two had the same class though Himchan only realized that when Yongguk sat beside him. They exchanged a quick look and Yongguk smiled again causing Himchan to smile as well; it's crazy how infectious his smile was…or was it because Himchan was growing fonder of him.</p><p>*</p><p>Temperatures dropped by a lot these days and it was rather chilly outside. Baekhyun liked chilly weather, maybe even more than summer as he never endured hot weather too well, he always sweats a lot and hated it. He always loved snuggling up to pillows and blankets drink hot chocolate and just be cozy, so the cold season was right for him. He also didn’t really get colds in the winter.</p><p>However, it seemed that his immune system wasn’t the strongest these days as he woke up with a constantly sore throat for a few days now. The soreness usually went away after a few hours but it was annoying and it affected his singing as well. He had to warm up a bit more before hitting those high notes and sometimes after doing so, the soreness started again. This was not good, especially considering that the competition was approaching swiftly and his voice needed to be in top shape for it.</p><p>He was doing a lot of rehearsals these days, both with Chanyeol and solo, and things were okay, up until the soreness hit and Baekhyun couldn’t control his voice to the full extent. They practice today, just before lunch, and Baekhyun’s voice cracked like never before, it was mortifying and Baekhyun felt really embarrassed about it. He didn’t want to fuck this up.</p><p>He was now having a light lunch in the company of his two best friends, and they were talking about general, school and life-related things. Currently, Himchan was ranting about every little thing, most likely because he was upset due to his family life falling apart. Suddenly, their conversation came to a halt when Chanyeol showed up at their table, holding a big mug that he placed in front of Baekhyun.</p><p>“Please drink this tea; it will help with the soreness. I also asked the cafeteria lady for extra honey and lemon to help with your voice,” Chanyeol said, all with a big smile upon his face. Meanwhile, Baekhyun seemed to be totally overwhelmed by this and was staring at Chanyeol with big eyes.</p><p>“Uhm…” Baekhyun struggled with words as the butterflies in his stomach seemed to be multiplying by the second. He could also feel himself blushing wildly all while trying to avoid looking Chanyeol in the eyes. Meanwhile, Seungri and Himchan were exchanging knowing looks and chuckling.</p><p>“Please make sure you drink a lot of water and get enough sleep, okay?” Chanyeol continued talking while Baekhyun was having an internal meltdown.</p><p>“T-Thanks…”</p><p>“Have a good day and don’t stress too much, ok?” Chanyeol grinned while Baekhyun nodded, his face already in a deep shade of crimson.</p><p>The tall –and surprisingly kind- individual left after bidding goodbye to Baekhyun and his peers and around the table there was silence for a moment. Baekhyun looked down at the cup of hot tea and trying to calm down the butterflies that he was feeling in his stomach –and all over his body. He could feel his cheeks burning and he was pretty sure it wasn’t from the steam that was emanating from the tea but from what just happened. He didn’t understand what was happening to him but he was shaking, sweating, and feeling very unusual.</p><p>“Oh, he’s so whipped for you!” Himchan broke the silence, with an amused tone. “Good job Baekhyunnie, he’s quite the looker,” he continued, now with a smirk on his face. Baekhyun rose his head to look at his friend and just shook his head and tried saying something but no words came out of his mouth.</p><p>“He’s not the only whipped one,” Seungri added, chuckling.</p><p>“Stop it,” Baekhyun whined, shaking his head. “No one is whipped,” he continued, now covering his face.</p><p>“I don’t know but it sure seems like he cares for you,” Himchan said with a smile.</p><p>“He cares about my voice and the competition, that’s all,” Baekhyun said and then drank from the tea; his throat definitely appreciated the hot beverage. “Nothing is going on so stop fantasizing. I don’t like guys.”</p><p>“Why are you blushing so madly, then?” Seungri asked, chuckling.</p><p>“I’m not! This tea is just too hot,” Baekhyun said, looking down at the cup, avoiding his friends’ looks. Himchan and Seungri snickered, looking at each other.</p><p>They didn’t tease Baekhyun too much, they saw it bothered him. Instead, Himchan changed the subject, steering the conversation towards his dramatic family life crisis. Baekhyun still felt the butterflies dancing in his stomach every time he drank from the cup but now preferred not to think about it; he felt weird about it and he didn’t know why. Could his friends be right about him?</p><p>*</p><p>After he was done with school, Seungri went directly to work as he was on the afternoon shift. He was tired, lately, all the quizzes, swimming practice, and work took a toll on his but he wasn’t ready to give up just yet. He did indeed push himself a bit more this month, taking over more shifts at the restaurant but he needed the money. The medicine his mother was on was working for now but unfortunately, the drug was very expensive. He bought the last supply thanks to selling the weed Himchan provided for him but since Himchan hasn’t done any dealing lately, things were tougher. So, he knew he had to work hard for the money in order for his mother to stay healthy and safe; he didn’t care how tired he felt.</p><p>Today was quite crowded and almost every table was full so he had a lot of running around to do. He tried serving everyone as professionally as he could; making sure everyone gets what they ordered quickly. His hard work paid off as he was the one receiving the highest tips.</p><p>Scanning through the crowd, he noticed none other than Jiyong strolling through the restaurant doors. He was not alone but accompanied by that very ‘sweet’ girlfriend of his. Seungri prayed hard that they would not sit at one of the tables he was assigned to but it seemed that whatever deity is up there was busy. The couple sat down at one of his tables and a deep sigh escaped Seungri’s lips as he took two menus and headed towards the table.</p><p>He greeted the couple politely, offering each a menu and a warm smile. Jiyong smiled towards him as well but of course that Chaerin didn’t, as she was too busy, being on her phone. Eventually, the two ordered and Seungri rushed to get their desired meals; the sooner the better as Chaerin mentioned she didn’t want to sit there for too long.</p><p>Seungri rarely mistook orders, he was very diligent and his memory was quite a good one. It rarely happened for him to bring another thing to the table but today wasn’t a good day for anyone and so he mistakenly brought Chaerin pomegranate juice when instead he should’ve brought pineapple. He quickly placed the dishes on the table and was about to leave when he had heard the high-pitched voice of the she-devil complaining.</p><p>“I said pomegranate, not pineapple,” she said causing Seungri’s eyes to go wide. “Can’t you do anything right?” she continued, now in a very nasty tone; she was clearly very upset about this.</p><p>“It’s just juice, Chae,” Jiyong stepped in, his voice was adamant but calm. Though his tone was calm, the expression on his face was clearly an irritated one and the glare he had on Chaerin was a nasty one. “And besides, you love pineapple.”</p><p>“Are you that incompetent or just plain stupid?” Chaerin ignored Jiyong’s words and glare, staring at Seungri as if he had just made a capital mistake. “Are you going to stare at me or bring me another juice? The one I asked for, this time.”</p><p>“I am truly sorry,” Seungri bowed politely as he apologized. “I’ll be back with your right order shortly.”</p><p>Seungri sighed as he took the glass in his hand and rushed back to the kitchen. He returned swiftly with the right juice and apologized once more for the mistake. Chaerin however, was not that impressed by the apology and still glared at him.</p><p>“You know what? I don’t want juice anymore,” she said dryly. “And this salad is tasteless. This whole restaurant is…” she continued with the same cold bitchy tone all while Jiyong was glaring at her.</p><p>Seungri sighed deeply, trying hard not to make any comment that would end up in a feud or scandal. She continued running her mouth, threatening to give bad reviews of the restaurant while Seungri just stared at her. All of Jiyong’s attempts to calm her down failed as he was deep into war-mode.</p><p>“I’m sorry but if you continue with this behavior, I’m going to ask you to leave. I’m sorry for the wrong order but this doesn’t excuse your behavior towards me or the other people around who just want to have an enjoyable meal,” Seungri said most seriously and professionally.</p><p>This was the last straw and it sent Chaerin overboard. Her impulsive nature pushed her over the edge as she took the glass and threw its contents into Seungri’s face. Then, she took her belongings and quickly left, dragging Jiyong with her. They didn’t even pay.</p><p>Seungri, now drenched in the juice began cleaning up while most of the restaurant clients were staring at him. He kept his composure and after he finished cleaning up everything, he went to the bathroom in order to clean up his clothes. Pomegranate juice stained like nothing else and so his white shirt was completely ruined; he had to borrow a shirt from one of his colleagues. He felt humiliated but refused to cry about it.</p><p>To make matters worse, he had to explain the whole situation to the manager who was very confused and infuriated. Seungri explained everything, he admitted that he made a mistake but he also tried solving it very quickly. The manager wasn’t pleased, especially considering how influential the couple was so he decided to punish Seungri for the mistreatment of the clients. So, Seungri will be going home without the tip money today and with a bit of a cut from his monthly salary –the equivalent of the menu the couple didn’t pay.</p><p>Seungri went back to work without any complaints –though he really wanted to cry at this moment. He ended his shift after a few hours and stormed out of the restaurant; he just wanted to go home and go to sleep, forget about this awful day. He had several bags in his hand, mostly food but also his stained shirt –he prayed to God that somehow he could remove those awful stains, he didn’t have the money for another shirt and he doesn’t need another salary cut. However, as he got out the doors, he saw someone very familiar waiting for him in front of the building, Kwon Jiyong himself.</p><p>“Hi…” Jiyong said with a smile. “…listen, I am sorry about today…I tried to stop her but…”</p><p>“It’s ok,” Seungri said, trying to avoid looking at him. He sighed deeply and then walked past Jiyong, trying to avoid him at all costs.</p><p>“Wait…” Jiyong said, chasing after him. “…how can I make it up to you?”</p><p>“I said it's ok,” Seungri said with a sigh, not stopping from walking away.</p><p>“Let me wash your shirt for you! I know the best cleaner in the city; you don’t need to pay for anything.”</p><p>“I can handle it,” Seungri replied coldly.</p><p>He suddenly came to a halt when Jiyong grabbed him by his hand. “Please,” Jiyong said, as Seungri turned to face him. Then, Jiyong quickly got out his wallet and from it a few banknotes that he handed to Seungri. “At least let me pay for the meal.”</p><p>A tear rolled onto Seungri’s cheek as he was trying hard not to break down in front of Jiyong, “the meal was paid from my salary,” he said before he looked down. He sniffled, feeling as more tears were flooding his eyes. “I don’t need your money or your help. In fact, I don’t want anything to do with you or any rich spoiled brat anymore. I am done.”</p><p>“I…I’m sorry, I…”</p><p>“You think you’re ruling the world, huh? You have all this money, power, and influence so you humiliate everyone that’s lower than you, right? I work my ass off in this goddamn restaurant on freaking minimum wage and now I have no tips and my salary was cut just because your fucking girlfriend didn’t like the juice. I am sorry I didn’t bow down to you hypocrites. Next time I’ll make sure I have the red carpet ready for your royalties. I’m freaking sorry I am poor and worthless.”</p><p>With that, Seungri left, leaving Jiyong there absolutely dumbfounded. Jiyong looked down at the money that was in his hand and sighed deeply, Seungri’s words still echoing in his head. He crumbled up the money and shoved them in his pocket, returning to his car. He felt a pang in his heart, a heavy feeling that didn’t go away no matter how deeply he sighed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>he most awaited high school competition is happening less than a week from today and feelings about it were very mixed. Sure, most of the students were excited that such a big competition was happening at their school but only those competing in it know how stressful this can be.  Of course, everyone wanted to do well, for the pride of their school –and for their own good too.</p><p>‘The Unholy Trinity’ didn’t care much for their school pride since it wasn’t technically their school competing but they entered this and they had to do a good job. They knew that doing well provided a good future for them at this snobbish institute and so they struggled to succeed and dodging every obstacle that came their way. Looking back, they made significant progress, especially considering the rocky relationships they had with their rich peers. The amount of stress they were subjected to was great, and to make things worse, their lives didn’t give them a break either.</p><p>It was definitely a stressful period but for the most part, they managed to stay sane and do a good job in order not to disappoint their colleagues. They also discovered that some of their peers weren’t as snobbish or arrogant as they thought initially. Getting to know them better proved to be way better than originally thought.</p><p>It was a gloomy Sunday morning, one of those cold November days where the sun struggled coming out of the thick layer of clouds that were covering the sky. It rained last night and though now it stopped, the air was still very humid. The wind was also howling through the neighborhood creating quite an eerie atmosphere.</p><p>The sound of a speeding motorcycle broke the silence of the neighborhood. Soon, the culprit showed up, riding his crimson vehicle on the long roads before it slowed down and eventually came to a halt. The vehicle stopped eventually in front of the neighborhood’s Catholic Church, being parked carefully by its owner. The tall rider took off his helmet and fixed his hair before climbing off the motorbike and heading towards the building in front of him.</p><p>It was the first time in ages since Chanyeol entered a church. He entered slowly, hating the squeaking sound that the church door produced. The usual mass was already ongoing and he could see that the church was more than half full. Though most of the attendees were listening to the service and being good Christians, some of those who were in the back turned to look towards the young man and gave him a judging look. Honestly, the tall teenager really stood out from the crowd and that made him feel a bit awkward but he tried not to show it. He slowly walked further into the room and eventually sat down on one of the benches, one that wasn’t occupied by anyone.</p><p>He studied the place for a moment, his eyes moving from left to right scanning the whole place. The church was beautiful and the ceremony was definitely very interesting but Chanyeol wasn’t here necessarily for that. His eyes then landed on something else, or rather someone else. Baekhyun was the front boy of the choir, the one with the most powerful voice, and the leading singer. Church hymns were not something easy to sing but the choir was sounding as beautiful as ever, and Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile. Since they started working together, Chanyeol was curious about Baekhyun’s life as a choir boy and always wanted to hear him sing in a church but he never had the opportunity. He told Baekhyun about it once but the latter got all red and shy and refused to talk about it. So, curious as ever, he decided to surprise Baekhyun today.</p><p>Baekhyun had a wonderful voice, Chanyeol was pretty aware of that but right now, it felt like his voice was out of this world. Dressed completely in white, he looked angelic, so much so that Chanyeol couldn’t get his eyes off him. He was guiding the choir flawlessly, and every note that came out of his mouth was enough to make Chanyeol stare and smile.</p><p>Chanyeol developed quite an admiration for the younger. Despite their rocky start, their friendship bloomed beautifully after they met a couple of times. They didn’t have much in common but somehow they clocked and though they were quite polar opposites, they got along pretty well. They could laugh for hours, the fact that they were both naturally funny helped, and cracking jokes were their favorite activity. They also talked a lot on their singing breaks and actually grown close. They both lacked confidence at first but unknowingly both helped each other become more confident about their talent and eventually ready to face every obstacle. But was this only admiration or was it something more?</p><p>The whole service was beautiful; it actually impressed Chanyeol who considered going to church more often – though it’s possible that Baekhyun was the sole reason for that. After everything was over, Chanyeol got up from his seat, and instead of leaving; he headed towards the quire –the location where the choir was placed. Baekhyun didn’t see the other approaching as he was busy giving his colleagues cookies that he baked himself last night.</p><p>“Can I have a cookie too?” Chanyeol’s booming voice sounded through the church startling most of the choir boys, Baekhyun included. He towered over everyone there, and most of the kids seemed intimidated by him. Baekhyun slowly turned towards him, his eyes wide and his cheeks already rosy.</p><p>“C-Chanyeol…” Baekhyun was already stuttering. “W-what are you doing here?” he asked, blushing madly at this point.</p><p>“I came to see you sing,” Chanyeol answered with a small smile on his lips. “I enjoyed it a lot.”</p><p>“Uhm…” Baekhyun was at a loss for words, he only could just look at Chanyeol. His face was already red and his knees were trembling; his stomach was already filled with butterflies as well. “T-Thanks. I didn’t…expect you here…”</p><p>“I wanted to surprise you,” Chanyeol smiled as well. For some reason –unbeknownst to him- the room got hot all of a sudden.  </p><p>“You did,” Baekhyun chuckled as he was trying to hide his shyness.</p><p>They looked at each other for a moment and it was like time stood still. They couldn’t take his eyes off each other, and couldn’t help smile either –or blush. It was like they were trapped in some kind of a magic spell. However, the spell broke at the moment a booming, deep voice was heard from behind them.</p><p>“Baekhyun, come help me!” the voice of Mr. Byun sounded through the church, causing Baekhyun to turn around and nod.</p><p>“I…I have to go,” he said, turning to Chanyeol with a shy smile plastered on his lips. “…I’ll see you later at practice…”</p><p>“See you later,” Chanyeol smiled as well.</p><p>Turning around, the tall male walked towards the exit, looking back a few times to see Baekhyun helping his father. The latter turned around as well and when they synced, they smiled at each other. Chanyeol walked out, went to his motorcycle, and left shortly, a smile still lingering and his heart beating just a tad faster than before. He didn’t understand why but he wanted to spend more and more time with the younger.</p><p>♦</p><p>With his family life breaking apart, Himchan dove into studying for the competition and this proved to be a very nice distraction from the chaotic events that occurred in his life over the past few weeks. The fact that his subjects were by far the hardest actually helped him focus better on the quiz. He spent most of his days cooped up in his room, reading, writing the answers down, trying to memorize everything as fast as he could; he felt lacking and needed to catch up.</p><p>He preferred studying alone these days and avoided his partner at all costs. Their meetings were very rare, especially this week as Himchan was avoiding him like the plague. Having a big ass crush on an unavailable guy wasn’t what Himchan wanted to focus on right now; he already had a lot on his plate with his family already.</p><p>But as the dreaded day of the competition was coming, they needed to meet in order to refresh things –as Yongguk stated. So, with a heavy heart, he agreed on meeting with Yongguk today, at the latter’s mansion. So far things were okay, despite the atmosphere being a bit awkward at the beginning. They were studying, discussing, giving each other pointers on memorizing better, and generally having a good time together as two colleagues who wanted to do better. Yes, Himchan did a bit of staring when Yongguk was reading, and yes he blushed when the latter’s hand brushed against his but so far it was manageable and he was sure that he’ll get over this stupid crush of his soon –though the butterflies in his stomach were saying otherwise.</p><p>“How are you?” Yongguk broke the silence of the room. He then got up from the couch and walked towards the other side of the room where a table has been set. The table had everything needed for the two to have a good time together; soft drinks, both sweet and salty snacks, and hot cocoa and coffee as well –Yongguk was a coffee lover. Meanwhile, Himchan stopped reading and watched Yongguk, not knowing what to respond, he just watched his for a few moments as he placed a few cookies and other snacks on a plate and returned to the couch. The latter placed the plate between him and Himchan and then looked at him, awaiting an answer.</p><p>“I’m good…” Himchan replied, now looking at the stack of paper in his lap rather than Yongguk. “As much as I was excited for this, I want it to be over; it’s stressing me out…”</p><p>“That’s not what I meant,” Yongguk’s voice cut his off causing the younger to look at him. “How are you feeling? Are you okay?” the tone was soothing yet full of concern; he couldn’t help it, he noticed that Himchan was rather distant lately.</p><p>“I’m okay, Yongguk,” Himchan said with a convincing tone, offering a small smile as well.</p><p>“Are we okay?” he then asked, with a more curious tone. “I know that you’ve been avoiding me since that day and I want you to know that I am here to help if you want to talk or vent or whatever. You don’t need to feel ashamed or bad.”</p><p>“Nothing else happened, they said they stopped and that was an isolated incident. They seem to be sorry but I don’t care anymore. I just can’t wait to get out of that hellhole…” Himchan said, looking back at the stack of paper in his lap; he couldn’t look Yongguk in the eyes.</p><p>“You can stay here for a few days if you want…” Yongguk blurted, surprising even himself. This was the first time in a while since his mind and brain didn’t cooperate. Himchan was surprised as well, hiding his shyness behind a small laugh. Yongguk laughed as well, and actually looked down, feeling a bit embarrassed as well.</p><p>“Yeah, I bet your girlfriend would appreciate my presence around here,” Himchan laughed.</p><p>“I’d rather have you around,” Yongguk said with a laugh.</p><p>The laughter died down and the two went back to their study session as if nothing happened. Still, Himchan kept stealing glances and Yongguk caught him a few times and smiled; yes he would enjoy having Himchan around more.</p><p>♦</p><p> </p><p>While some relationships were growing closer, it seemed that the friendship that formed between Jiyong and Seungri fell apart. Since the incident that took place about a week ago, things were not looking too good. Jiyong apologized for his words and actions, he knew he should’ve done something to stop Chaerin but he didn’t dare to do so; he felt like a coward. He apologized countless times and sent Seungri dozens of texts but with no reply from the younger. He understood what he had done wrong and vowed to do the right thing next time –if there will be a next time.</p><p>For Seungri, the whole experience left a bitter taste in his mouth and a stain on his uniform. He had to buy a new shirt which wasn’t inexpensive and had to endure another scolding from his manager who stumbled upon a very nasty blog post and review written by Chaerin herself. Though the restaurant didn’t suffer as much, Seungri did and thought that it was best if he and Jiyong would not be as close as they were. In fact, he didn’t even believe that Jiyong considered him as a friend because –in his experience- friends stand out for one another in difficult situations and all Jiyong did was to stay there motionless.  </p><p>The young swimmer even wanted to back down from this competition but he put a lot of work into this and didn’t want everything to be in vain. He believed he was mature enough to be in Jiyong’s presence without any kind of drama. The only pool available to him was the one at the school but it was Sunday which meant that the whole school was closed. He knew that Jiyong had the keys but he didn’t know whether he should contact him about it.</p><p>Stepping on his ego, he texted Jiyong about the issue and Jiyong was more than pleased to help him considering he wanted to speak to Seungri the whole week. A few texts back and forth and they decided to meet at the school in about an hour. When Seungri arrived, Jiyong was already there ready to train and as smiley as ever, clearly happy to see him.</p><p>They began training in complete silence and an awkward atmosphere. They minded their own business, trying to be faster every time. Seungri was fueled by his pent up anger and stress so he let everything out, he swam like it was the last time he was doing so, he really gave his all. Jiyong decided to time him and he was stunned as Seungri was faster than before. Jiyong was as competitive as ever and tried matching the younger and though he was not as fast as Seungri, he was not far behind. If they keep this up, they might actually win this.</p><p>After a while, they both decided to rest, standing at the edge of the pool. It was the first time in more than a week since they actually sat less than five feet away from each other. It was silence for a while until Jiyong decided he should apologize one more time, this time directly.</p><p>“You know, everyone at this school wants to be my friend,” Jiyong began slowly, looking down. Seungri briefly looked at him. “It’s either because I am rich, or because they’re curious about my life story, or because of my influence. No one wants to be my friend because of only me, not one…only you. You’re not impressed with wealth, power, or influence and you’ve seen behind all of that, and you decided to be my friend. I admit, I am a hypocrite and an asshole and I am sorry for not stepping out for you. That’s what friends do, and I am a lousy one for hurting you. I am sorry, I am trying to be a better person and I hope you’ll forgive me.”</p><p>It was silence for a moment; Jiyong didn’t dare raise his head nor speak another word. He heard Seungri sigh a few times but he didn’t dare look him in the eyes. “You are an ass…” Seungri said and then chuckled softly. “And you should learn that money isn’t everything. I don’t blame you for not stepping out for me, after all, it’s your girlfriend who caused the scene and I know you blocked, I would’ve probably done the same. I just hope you learned your lesson,” Seungri said with a small smile. He didn’t know why but he just couldn’t stay mad at the elder, there was something about him that made Seungri weak.</p><p>“Friends?” Jiyong asked, raising his head and extending his right arm towards the younger.</p><p>“Friends,” Seungri said, shaking the elder’s hand and smiling.</p><p>“By the way, you should be angry with me more often; you swam faster than ever…” Jiyong said with a chuckle.</p><p>“Maybe I should,” Seungri said, getting up and jumping directly into the water.</p><p>With a hopeful smile, Jiyong joined him. All was well in Jiyong’s world again; the boy he was a mess these days because of this fight he and Seungri had. He really liked the younger’s company…well, he really liked the younger in general…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong><em>F</em></strong>or most students, it was just a regular boring Monday morning but for those studying at Kwon Institute; it was the beginning of a very exciting competition. Teen Fest was finally starting, and for the next three days, the students will face tough obstacles and represent their school in one of the most beautiful competitions among private high schools in South Korea. Those who chose to participate all trained hard in their respective fields and were ready to win. It won’t be an easy task considering they face the most prestigious institutes of the country but they were ready to show everyone that hard work leads to great results.</p><p>Excitement filled the air as the students gathered inside the school’s auditorium as they were waiting for the principal to start the official event. Usually, this event was held outside but today was cold and the rain was pouring heavily over the city. There were lots of students inside, all from the different schools they were representing and by the looks of it, this year’s Teen Fest will be quite exciting.</p><p>Soon, the principal showed up on stage and began his speech about how he is happy that he could organize this again. He then welcomed on stage the principals of the competing private high schools. This year, only three institutes decided to compete against the Kwon Institute and they were as follows:</p><ul>
<li>
<b>Busan Gold Coast Institute -</b> a prestigious institute situated in Busan, famous for their swimming team and also the last year’s winners. This year they are back to defend their title and they’re more determined than ever.</li>
<li>
<b>Untamed Borders Incheon Institute </b>- one of the most cultural-diverse institutes of the country, home to students from all over the world including Japan, China, and the Philippines. They never participated before but they’re more than ready to prove they’re worth it.</li>
<li>
<b>New Horizons of Daegu Institute </b>- one of the lesser-known institutes but not one to be messed with. Only the best enter this school and only the best remain; it is the school with the toughest academic development in the country producing the finest and brightest students.</li>
</ul><p>Each of the principals said a few words and then wished good luck upon those who are participating. Then, Mr. Park invited none other than Mr. Kwon who had a special announcement up on the stage; undoubtedly everyone was curious of what the businessman had to say. The Kwon's always enjoyed flaunting their fortune around and this time was no different. Mr. Kwon had a special prize for those winning; an all-expenses-paid trip to Korea’s most luxurious mountain resorts. The crowd went wild with applause and cheers for the businessmen, all while his own son scoffed and rolled his eyes –typical of his dad to be a show-off.</p><p>“I certainly wouldn’t mind a mountain trip, after all this stress,” Himchan said with a smile, looking at his two friends. The unholy trinity sat on one of the middle rows.</p><p>“You just want to spend the Kwon’s money, don’t you?” Baekhyun asked, laughing.</p><p>“No, I want to learn to ski as well,” Himchan chuckled.</p><p>“In the arms of one Bang Yongguk, I imagine,” Seungri said, causing the others to laugh and Himchan  to slightly blush.</p><p>“Like you would mind being in a Jacuzzi with Jiyong,” Himchan rolled his eyes, still laughing. “Or you, Mr. holy nun enjoying hot chocolate with Chanyeol…”</p><p>“You really need to get laid Himchan, you start imagining things already,” Seungri said and then laughed. Baekhyun burst into laughter as well –though in the back of his mind he sure wouldn’t mind hot chocolate with the tall individual.</p><p>
  <strong>♦</strong>
</p><p>So, without further ado, the competition started in the roars applauses of the others. The first day was dedicated to the brain and so the quiz contest was about to begin. The students that were participating –and those who wanted to support their friends by being there- moved towards one of the biggest classroom, which was now converted temporarily into a contest hall.</p><p>To say Himchan was nervous was an understatement –he was terrified. He felt like he forgot everything, he couldn’t concentrate and he was sweating profoundly. He tried calming down but he just couldn’t do it, he was a nervous wreck and it showed, even his team-mates noticed. He, along with Hyunwoo, Hyunggu and Yongguk was now waiting in a separate classroom and Himchan just couldn’t stand still, he was pacing the floor and mumbling things to himself.</p><p>“Calm down, will you?” Hyunwoo said, offering a kind smile. “I know how hard you and Yongguk studied so you’re going to ace this.”</p><p>“Hyunwoo’s right,” Hyunggu chimed in. “We’re going to win this for sure.”</p><p>Yongguk said nothing, he just watched his panicky friend for a moment. He found him amusing –and also quite cute- but also wanted Himchan to trust himself more. They studied a lot, and Himchan was a smart guy so there was no way they would fail this. He was confident in the team, confident in Himchan, and wanted the younger to trust himself more.</p><p>Then, the elder jumped from his seat and walked towards Himchan, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the other corner of the room before the latter could even process what was happening. Hyunwoo and Hyunggu chuckled at Himchan’s confusion.</p><p>“What’s wrong, Channie?” Yongguk said, looking at the mess that Himchan was in right now. The younger was panting, sweating, and shaking. The grip that Yongguk had on his hands combined with the serious look in his eyes –and the fact that he called him Channie- made Himchan sweat even more.</p><p>“W-What if I mess up?” Himchan said, looking at the taller male. His voice was shaking and he felt like crying. “I feel like once I am out there, I will forget everything….”</p><p>“For the past month we trained hard and I can say confidently that no one is more prepared than you. We can do this! You can do this!” Yongguk said, still holding Himchan’s hands in his own. “I trust you so please trust yourself. You won’t mess up!”</p><p>“I hope not…” Himchan looked down at their hands and sighed deeply. He can’t deny he loved the closeness between him and Yongguk at this point.</p><p>They spent a moment in silence, looking at each other. Himchan calmed down significantly and right now he was only sweating because of the closeness he had with his crush –his heart was racing. “Do you want a hug?” Yongguk asked all of a sudden and Himchan could only nod.</p><p>In the next moment, Yongguk let go of his hands and wrapped his big strong arms around Himchan’s frail body. Yongguk pulled him into a tight hug, and if Himchan’s heart was racing earlier, right now it skipped a few beats. Himchan sighed deeply, inhaling the masculine scent of the other’s perfume and loving it; he was in Heaven and never wanted this to end.</p><p>Sadly, they couldn’t hug forever and they parted and now Yongguk was smiling at him with that adorable gummy smile of him; Himchan’s nervousness disappeared in seconds. He mumbled ‘thanks’ , then the two returned to their team-mates and hugged them as well; the quiz was about to begin and they were confident that they’re going to win.</p><p>♦</p><p>“Welcome to the first competition of Teen Fest. Today, the four brilliant teams will compete in a brain-stimulating contest that is more exciting than ever,” the man presenting the whole event announced with a cheerful tone. “There will be two preliminary rounds each with 25 questions. At the end of each round, the team with the lowest score will be eliminated. Then, after the preliminary rounds, the two finalists will face a grueling duel consisting of 50 questions.</p><p>Each team was equipped with a mini whiteboard and a marker for the first two rounds but in the final, the rules will be changed a bit. In the final, the boards will be replaced with buzzers and whoever pushes the buzzer first gets to answer. However, if they don’t answer correctly, the other team has the chance to steal. So, without further ado, let’s give a big round of applause of our four brilliant teams!”</p><p>The crowd exploded in applause as each of the teams entered the room, all with confident smiles upon their faces. The team members were each scanning each other, and if Himchan wasn’t so nervous, he probably would’ve winked at some of them; damn Korea had some hotties! Himchan also looked around the room and saw all of Yongguk’s family and his obnoxious girlfriend there, he saw his beasties cheering for him and others like Jiyong and Chanyeol also giving him hopeful smiles but there was no sign of his family. He told his mother and father about this but it seemed that they forgot-or they were drunk or something. Either way, it was probably for the better, he didn’t need them.</p><p>They took seats at their desks, and once again Yongguk made Himchan's heart flutter as he sat beside him and grabbed his hand under the desk in order to comfort him. Himchan was in awe.</p><p>The first round started and the first questions were very easy and there was no doubt they nailed them. Yongguk was writing every answer that the team decided and Himchan discovered he liked another thing about the elder, his impeccable handwriting. Was there a thing –in Himchan’s eyes at least- that was imperfect when it came to Yongguk? Probably not.</p><p>The first preliminary round was a piece of cake; the Kwon institute team nailed each question getting the maximum points. The Daegu boys also scored max points and had smug expressions on their faces, clearly thinking that they were the best around there. Ultimately, the team from Busan managed to secure a spot in the second round with an impressive score of 20 out of 25 opposed to the Incheon institute that managed to score only 18 points. Sadly, the multinational team had to go but they were applauded and cheered very loudly by the crowd.</p><p>There was a 15 minutes break and then the second round started. The difficulty on this round was higher but not something the Kwon institute was scared of. Their teamwork was brilliant, each controlling their individual subjects perfectly and being very confident; yes, even Himchan managed to find his confidence. The questions varied and some of them were quite difficult, even causing the boys to find themselves in a pitch. Ultimately, the guys from Daegu scored 25 points while the Kwon institute scored 23. Sadly, the Busan team only scored 18 points and was eliminated.</p><p>A one hour break followed, given the guys enough time to relax before the final round. They were convinced that the difficulty will increase and they needed to be prepared for everything.</p><p>♦</p><p>Himchan went to the toilet in order to freshen up and calm down. He washed his face and was just looking in the mirror and fixing his hair when a tall white-haired individual appeared behind him. Himchan turned around and looked at the now smiling individual, realizing that he was one of the guys from Daegu. He was tall, slender, and with very sharp and handsome features, totally a looker and by the looks of it, smart as well.</p><p>“Congratulations on getting this far, I truly expect the last round to be exciting,” the guy said, offering a slight smile.</p><p>“It truly will be,” Himchan said, smiling as well. “You guys are good.”</p><p>“We’re the best,” he chuckled, then extended his hand. “Moon JongUp.”</p><p>“Kim Himchan,” he shook his hand. He had a firm, manly grip.</p><p>“I might be transferring here the next semester,” he said, now getting closer to Himchan and smiling. Then, he brought one of his hands to Himchan’s cheek, caressing it softly. “I’m glad to see such pretty faces.”</p><p>“I’m more than just a pretty face,” Himchan grabbed his hand, stopping him, his eyes fixated on him. “I can also kick your ass.”</p><p>JongUp chuckled. He grabbed Himchan’s hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently. Himchan didn’t have the chance to protest, not that he minded, the guy was a looker. “I love Seoul already,” he said before releasing Himchan’s hand. He turned around, “good luck, sweetie.”</p><p>Himchan was taken aback by this and honestly quite amused by the guy’s attitude; he could tell he was a bit of a snob and a know-it-all but he was undoubtedly cute…well, not as cute as Yongguk.</p><p>The hour passed quickly than ever and soon, the teams faced each other in the final round. Stakes were high, emotions were at a peak and everyone was ready to give their best in order to win. The little toilet rendezvous between Himchan and JongUp did nothing but push Himchan to do better. Why? Because he wanted to wipe that smirk off JongUp’s face.  </p><p>The final round started and the guys were as focused as ever. The Daegu boys scored the first point, being faster than Yongguk at pushing the buzzer. The next points went to the Kwon institute boys as both Hyunggu and Hyunwoo rushed to answer; the boys were on fire. The questions were becoming gradually harder but so far, no one had real trouble answering them. The subjects varied every time and the competition was quite fun.</p><p>The climax was about to be reached, the competition was absolutely nail-biting and no one was backing up a bit. The score was 20 to 20, and there were only 10 questions left. The audience was in total silence, it was like they were holding their breath and waiting for the winner to be crowned. Buzzer after buzzer, right answer after right answer, they came closer and closer to the end. At the end of the 50 questions, the score was a tie 25 to 25, a record regarding the Teen Fest competition.</p><p>A winner must be declared so the coordinator announced that there will be one more question that will determine everything. The tension was at its peak, the team members were looking at each other and concentration was at the highest levels. Then, the announcer spoke, breaking the silence.</p><p>“The final question. This non-combustible liquid in its dry form is noncorrosive to common metals except aluminum. About 90% of all of this material, which is manufactured goes into the production of chlorofluorocarbons. What is this substance?”</p><p>Both Himchan and JongUp rushed to push the button, the latter being faster. Himchan held his breath until JongUp opened his mouth, praying that he would give the wrong answer.</p><p>“Hydrogen Chloride,” JongUp answered confidently. Himchan’s eyes widened and a smile spread on his lips.</p><p>“Wrong,” the announcer said with a serious tone causing JongUp to gasp loudly. He then turned towards the Kwon Institute team. “Do you know the answer?”</p><p>He knew the answer, he knew it because that’s what he worked on yesterday with Yongguk. “Carbon Tetrachloride,” he answered in a very serious tone, his eyes fixated on JongUp who wasn’t smirking anymore.</p><p>“And the winner of the quiz competition of Teen Fest is the Kwon Institute!” the man announced as the crowd exploded in waves of claps and cheers.</p><p>Himchan only realized what happened when his teammates hugged him tightly and congratulated him. They won and he didn’t mess up; in fact, he delivered the last answer perfectly. He couldn’t believe it!</p><p>♦</p><p>Yongguk was surrounded by his loving family and girlfriend who congratulated him on the amazing results. He was really happy the team won, they deserved it after how hard they worked to get there. It was a hard competition but nothing compared to the last 10 –well, 11- questions, they were the hardest ones due to the pressure of winning. Ultimately, Himchan delivered the last blow and Yongguk couldn’t be happier.</p><p>He looked around, his eyes scanning for Himchan through the crowd of people. He was in a corner with his two best friends; his family couldn’t be bothered by this childish event. Yongguk knew he wasn’t supposed to be angry at people you didn’t know but right now he felt that towards Himchan’s parents. They had this brilliant guy and they completely ignored him and made him suffer constantly. What kind of people were they? How could they let such a brilliant mind suffer like that?</p><p>He excused himself from a boring conversation with Roseanne and headed towards Himchan and his two friends.</p><p>“Can I borrow him for a second?” Yongguk asked with a smile.</p><p>“He’s all yours,” Seungri answered. “Let’s go find something to eat, Baek,” he continued, now leaving and dragging Baekhyun after him.</p><p>“Hi…” Yongguk said, smiling.</p><p>“Hi,” Himchan smiled as well.</p><p>Without a second thought, Yongguk wrapped his arms around Himchan in the tightest and warmest hug he ever gave. He hugged Himchan to his chest and whispered ‘great job, you brilliant mind’ and that’s when Himchan couldn’t take it anymore and burst into tears. He felt so overwhelmed with emotion, and for once he didn’t feel useless on Earth or a nuisance –as his parents made him feel oftentimes. He felt wanted, he felt needed, and he felt loved –only if it was just a friend kind of love. As the hug broke Yongguk wiped his tears with his fingers, gently touching his face.</p><p>“I hope those are happy tears,” Yongguk said, smiling widely.</p><p>“They are,” Himchan chuckled and sniffled. They hugged once more.</p><p>Himchan didn’t see it, no one actually did as everyone was busy giving or receiving congratulations, but JongUp was staring from afar, a not so friendly glare in his eyes as he watched the two hugging.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>een Fest, the most anticipated competition between preppy high-school across South Korea began yesterday and the hosting high school managed to out-smart the others in the first leg of the competition, the quiz contest. Due to the team’s incredible chemistry combined with the hard work, they managed to absolutely crush their competition. Himchan seemed to have been the star of the show, delivering the final answer that won them the competition and in return getting rounds of applauses and cheers –and not to mention that hug from Yongguk that all the stress from before worth it.</p><p>Since yesterday’s success, everyone was looking at the competition with hopeful eyes, thinking that they might actually have a chance to win Teen Fest. Last year, the institute from Busan crushed them in just about everything so it was time for payback. They were the hosting high school; they had to win this in order to prove that they really are a prestigious institute.</p><p>Today it was time for the sports competition and while some of the students were hopeful that Jiyong and Seungri will manage to win and bring pride to the school, others weren’t so hopeful for the duo. This was one of the toughest competitions, they knew they had to give their all for the win, and honestly, some of the students didn’t see them succeeding in this. The main reason was that last year the guys from Busan absolutely crushed them in every aspect, especially swimming. It was no wonder they did so, considering they are very close to the sea and practically train there every day. Jiyong’s ego was bruised badly, considering he was the star of the show last year and the captain of the swimming team. He wished victory today, not for the school but because he wanted to wipe those dirty smirks off those preppy Busan kids.</p><p>He believed that this year he is more prepared, he definitely trained harder and he is faster than before. He was definitely confident in his skills, after all, he was the captain, but the Kwon institute had another ace up their sleeve. Since Seungri arrived at the school, Jiyong’s authority, greatness, and speed when it comes to swimming were questioned as the younger proved countless times that he was an amazing swimmer. Not only he had speed and skills but he also had stamina as well. Jiyong is not fond to admit it but he was extremely jealous at first, even going as far as trying to scare Seungri away from ever swimming again. He was unsuccessful and he was glad because Seungri not only proved to be a great swimmer but a good friend and colleague as well. Jiyong didn’t know whether or not Seungri considered him a friend –especially after their recent misunderstandings- but he is doing a lot to repent for his past sins. Seungri still doesn’t know about the fact that Jiyong was the one trying to drown him at the beginning of the school year and Jiyong hoped that he would never find out, though secrets like this had the tendency to come out the worst of times.</p><p>The morning of the competition found the younger star athlete already at school. He was nervously pacing the floor of an empty classroom in the company of his two best friends who tried calming him down. After the success of the first round, everyone expected another success and the pressure was really getting to the young swimmer. He wanted to do good, obviously, because he trained so much these days but from what he heard the competition was really tough and he didn’t know if he had what it takes to win.</p><p>“Will you calm down? You’re giving me a headache with all of this pacing…” Himchan complained. “You’re going to do well!”</p><p>“Easy for you to say, you’re the star of the school now…” Seungri replied with a sigh.</p><p>“They finally saw my potential,” Himchan said, running his hands through his hair. “Took them long enough…”</p><p>“You’ll do fine. You trained so much and I know from before that you’re a really good swimmer,” Baekhyun offered sweet words of encouragement. “You have nothing to worry about.”</p><p>“Give your all,” Himchan smiled. “We’ll be cheering you on…and checking boys’ speedos out, right Baeky?” he continued, causing Seungri to laugh and Baekhyun to shake his head.</p><p>“One more dirty remark and I’ll bathe you in holy water,” Baekhyun retorted causing both Seungri and Himchan to laugh.</p><p>They spent some more time in that room, talking and laughing until Seungri had to go as the second round of Teen Fest was about to begin. His heart was pounding and his legs were shaking but he tried not to show it. He sighed deeply, as he approached the pool area, already hearing the commotion and cheers of the students. The fact that they cheered for him and Jiyong –okay, mostly Jiyong- made him feel a bit better and hopeful that this day will have a positive result.</p><p>A while later, he entered the changing rooms and noticed that Jiyong was there already, already changed into his speedo and with a big smile on his face. He smiled too and then proceeded to go change as well. Once he was done, he met with the cheerful Jiyong who seemed to have an even big of a smile on his face now.</p><p>“Nervous?” Jiyong asked as they exchanged a quick handshake and one of those bro-hugs.</p><p>“A bit…” Seungri chuckled. “…I mean I know everyone expects us to do well.”</p><p>“Just do your best, okay?” Jiyong said with a smile and suddenly grabbed Seungri’s hands into his. “We can win this! We trained so hard for it and you’re one of the best swimmers I know.”</p><p>“Thanks…” Seungri said, now blushing.</p><p>The duo headed together towards the exit and into the main pool room where the competition was happening. The room was already more than half full of spectators, all waiting for a very intense swimming competition. Seungri looked around the room, spotting his friends on the front rows as well as his sister and mother who came to support him. Even though his mother wasn’t feeling too well lately, she still came to support her boy and for that Seungri was really thankful.</p><p>The swimmers met with the coach who had only words of praise for them, he monitored their progress and was confident that they’ll do very well. Seungri was still nervous but he did feel better hearing all those words of encouragement.</p><p>“Well, if it isn’t the one and only Kwon Jiyong,” a voice started the two swimmers as they were talking. Turning around, they saw a guy about their age heading towards them, smirking. Seungri noticed that Jiyong tensed immediately as he glared at the stranger.</p><p>“Dong YoungBae, what a pleasure…” Jiyong said, obviously with a sarcastic tone. The one named YoungBae chuckled, keeping his smirk on. He approached more studying the two from head to toe in the process.</p><p>“I see you haven’t given up on swimming yet, I admire your will. Have you gotten better at it or do you suck like you did last year?” he chuckled as addressed the last question. Jiyong clenched his fists and sighed deeply, still glaring at the teenager; that question definitely struck a chord.</p><p>Seungri watched YoungBae, seeing how different he was from Jiyong. He was taller, and definitely fitter than the skinny Jiyong. He had a great body, with washboard abs, and strong looking biceps and legs and he didn’t look bad in the face department either; he had nice lips and charming eyes.  </p><p>“Cocky aren’t we?” Jiyong smirked as well. His ego was definitely bruised but he didn’t let this show. “We’ll see who comes out on top this time,” he continued, still glaring at the other.</p><p>YoungBae snickered, then his eyes landed on Seungri and a smile crept up his lips. “And who is this cutie?”</p><p>“Our secret weapon,” Jiyong said, now with a smile on as he looked at Seungri. The latter was a bit shy because of the nickname but smiled as well, as a faint rosy blush appeared on his cheeks.</p><p>“Lee Seunghyun, Seungri,” he said, extending his arm.</p><p>“Dong YoungBae, the ace swimmer of Busan,” the teenager said, shaking Seungri’s hand with a firm grip. Jiyong rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Quit gloating already,” Jiyong said, rolling his eyes. “We’ll see how good you are once you’re in the water,” he continued, with the same spiteful tone causing YoungBae to chuckle.</p><p>YoungBae then left, chuckling at Jiyong’s obvious jealousy. Seungri noticed the tension between them but chose not to say anything for now. Jiyong didn’t bring it up either, he kept glaring at the other even after he was far away – this seemed to be very personal.</p><p>A while later, the booming voice of the sport’s teacher was heard from the speakers installed all over the room; the second round of Teen Fest was about to begin. The teacher began by thanking everyone for their presence and then asked for a round of applause for the competing athletes. The crowd’s claps and cheers really made Seungri and Jiyong happy and hopeful. The two smiled even brighter when they saw their friends now sitting together and holding a big banner with ‘Go Jiyong &amp; Seungri’ written on it –apparently it was Chanyeol’s idea.</p><p>This year was a bit different when it came to the members allowed to participate. Since Daehyun quit, everyone agreed to only bring a team of two to the competition. So, instead of three main events, there will be only two but in order to make this more challenging the difficulty of each event was raised. The first event consisted of a grueling 100 meters butterfly stroke, one of the most difficult of swimming styles. This will test the swimmers’ muscle powers and technique. The second event consisted of a 500 meters freestyle that will undoubtedly test the endurance of every swimmer. The competition was harsher than last year and in order to win the swimmers have to give all they got.</p><p>The teams were presented and not long after, the second round started. Both Jiyong and Seungri were nervous but they kept their composure and were hopeful that at the end, their names will stand on top of the ranking board. Jiyong was selected as the one competing in the first challenge as his technique was better than Seungri’s and he was really good at the butterfly stroke while the younger still struggled with it. The elder stretched and prepared as best as he could, being very focused.</p><p>Jiyong approached the edge of the pool and sighed heavily. He looked around at his opponents –especially YoungBae- and then at the crowd that was chanting his name. He raised his hands to salute his family that was there to support him –and his lovely girlfriend too- and his friends as well. He took a couple of big breaths and then closed his eyes. Before everything started, he heard Seungri behind him saying words of encouragement and that gave him even more strength. He had to win this.</p><p>The sound that announced the start sounded through the room as the swimmers jumped in the water. Jiyong’s start was flawless and for the first seconds, he was in the lead, way ahead of the others. He couldn’t keep his lead for long as YoungBae quickly pulled ahead. The two had a rivalry going on, one that has kept going since their freshmen years. YoungBae was a good swimmer and managed to defeat Jiyong every time they met. On top of that he used to gloat about it every time, he made fun of the latter and made him feel inferior. Jiyong was determined to show YoungBae that he could be a good swimmer as well and shut his mouth once and for all.</p><p>Jiyong was one determined individual and once he wanted something, he would do anything to obtain it. He trained a lot, especially in this hard swimming style, and knew that he could be faster than YoungBae. He was totally focused and swam like his like depended on it, totally immersed into the action. His breathing was steady and despite his muscles tensing and hurting, he pushed through. He was behind YoungBae most of the time but as they neared the ending, he pushed through the pain and fatigue even more and that yielded some amazing results. He managed to catch up to YoungBae and by the end, it looked like they touched the edge of the pool at the same time. A few moments later, the ranking board appeared on the screen and the results were as follows:</p><p><b>Kwon Jiyong - </b>49.38s</p><p><b>Dong YoungBae –</b> 49.50s</p><p><b>Nakamoto Yuta -</b>50.40s</p><p><b>Min YoonGi –</b> 51.50s</p><p>The crowd exploded in cheers and claps and immediately after Jiyong climbed out of the pool, Seungri came towards him and hugged him tightly, congratulating him on the result. Jiyong was smiling widely and actually had tears in his eyes, tears of pure happiness. The look on YoungBae’s face was priceless; he was utterly shocked, confused, and pissed off. They won the first round and hopefully they will win the second one as well.</p><p>About ten minutes later, the second round was about to begin and Seungri was at the edge of the pool, sighing deeply. Jiyong was beside him, encouraging him and giving him the best advice that he could –he also gave him a quick hug that made the younger’s heart jump in excitement. Now the crowd was chanting Seungri’s name with Jiyong being the loudest of them all. He referred to Seungri as his secret weapon previously and that gave the younger the confidence needed for this. He was ready to win this. He took another glance at the crowd where his friends and also his dear family was, cheering him endlessly.</p><p>He closed his eyes and dived into the water as soon as the signal sounded. He really felt in his element, swimming as fast as he could and enjoying it to the max. His start wasn’t the best, there were others already ahead of him but he didn’t care about that, he still gave his all and slowly but surely he was climbing towards the top. It didn’t take long before he was the first but the opponents were very close so he didn’t have the time to relax. All he could hear was the water splashing and the cheers of the crowd and that motivated him greatly.</p><p>By half of the race his muscles were burning but he didn’t give up one bit. He pushed through the pain, going as fast as he could, motivated by how much hard work he put into this. The competition was very tight, and everyone was anxious to see who will win this. Soon, the four reached the finish line and everyone was waiting for the results. The scoreboard appeared on the screen and the crowd cheered again : </p><p><b>Lee Seunghyun - </b>4:38.47s</p><p><b>Kang Daesung - </b>4:39.02s</p><p><b>Zhang Yixing – </b>4:40.35s</p><p><b>Park Jimin –</b> 4:41.09s</p><p>For the first moments, Seungri didn’t even realize he had won. He was panting heavily as he came out of the pool and almost immediately he was hugged tightly by Jiyong who kept praising him. Soon, others joined Jiyong and hugged him; Seungri was over the moon, crying tears of happiness as his colleagues cheered his name on and on.</p><p>The friends and families of the winners soon came down to congratulate the winners and it was honestly so heartwarming. One thing that surprised Seungri was that Jiyong’s father personally came to congratulate him and his mother even hugged him. Jiyong was also hugged by Seungri’s mom and sister.</p><p>♦</p><p>A while later the two winners were in the locker room, changing from their speedos into normal clothes. A bit sore but definitely happy, Seungri just closed the door of his locker and sighed, wanting to go home and sleep for the rest of the day; he had no energy left.</p><p>“Leaving so soon?” Jiyong spoke as he headed towards the younger, smiling widely. He too was already dressed in simple clothes and Seungri had to admit that he looked splendid. He rarely saw Jiyong only wearing a white t-shirt and jeans but the image was quite a nice one.</p><p>“Yeah, I think I will go to bed and sleep for the rest of the day,” Seungri laughed. It was obvious that this kind of competition would drain everyone. Jiyong chuckled as well and then approached the younger more, grabbing and hugging him tightly.</p><p>“Thank you for putting up with me during this competition, I know I can be an ass but I really wanted to win this. I am sorry if I ever upset you and I am incredibly proud of you, Seungri,” Jiyong said as he hugged the younger, causing his to blush madly.</p><p>“Y-You were fine…” Seungri stuttered as he hugged Jiyong as well. “Thank you for pushing me past my limits.”</p><p>The hug broke but the two still remained very close to each other. Jiyong then brought one of his hands to the younger’s cheek, stroking it softly. They were looking at each other and it was like time stood still and nothing else mattered. Seungri’s cheeks were red and he was biting his bottom lip as his heart was beating so fast that it threatened to come out of the chest cavity. Jiyong could feel butterflies in his stomach, a sensation he hasn’t had in a very long time. The elder slowly pulled Seungri towards him; the younger’s hands touching his chest softly. They were so very close to each other, and the attraction was undeniable, both of them could feel it. Seungri wondered for a moment if he should say or do something but he felt too good to stop, and so did Jiyong. Mere inches separated their faces now, both closing in on what looked to be a first kiss; neither of them pulling back.</p><p>“Jiyong? Honey? Are you here?” Chaerin’s high-pitch voice sounded through the room causing the two to snap out of the trance-like state. They looked at each other once more before they slowly pulled away.</p><p>“I-I’m changing. I’ll be right outside!” Jiyong said in a tone that sounded friendly but Seungri saw the expression on his face; he was pissed.</p><p>“Hurry up!”</p><p>Jiyong sighed, softly nodded at Seungri as if he needed to apologize, and then left, looking back once more to the stunned teenager. Once Jiyong left, Seungri fell back on the bench and sighed heavily, holding his chest as his heart was racing. Were he and Jiyong about to kiss? That thought scared and excited him at the same time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>In case you forgot, and are confused by the lyrics, the song I chose for the competition is </b>
  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9LOFXwPwC4">Unintended,</a>
  <b> by the British band Muse. </b>
</p><p>
  <strong>I felt like the lyrics fit somehow, especially in the second arc of the story that I am developing.  I hope you enjoy it! Cheers!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Don't forget to comment! </strong>
</p><hr/><p><strong>I</strong>t was the third and final day of the competition and everyone was getting ready for the show. The last day of Teen Fest was dedicated to people who wanted to showcase their talent in a high-profile competition. It was expected that competition between elite high schools would be fierce, but this year everything seemed more intense. Many of the students noticed the high level of competition and felt the determination and ambition of all those who participated so far. Of course, the results were not long in coming, and the Kwon Institute climbed to the top of the rankings with two wonderful victories.</p><p>We can already speak clearly of a victory of the high school in Seoul, but at the same time, everyone was interested in the talent show, curious about what each high school prepared. Even if the victory didn't matter so much, everyone wanted to do a good job, especially considering that this performance could mean a launching pad in a future career as a singer or dancer. It was a known fact that so-called talent hunters often frequented this type of event, looking for new 'victims'. If a scout sets his eyes on a student, he will receive various offers regarding their talent.</p><p>Even last year, a high school student in Busan managed to impress a scout and is now studying music at one of the most prestigious institutions in the US. This talent show is meant to change lives, and tonight is expected to be magical.</p><p>“This will be a disaster!” Baekhyun sighed, exasperated as he paced up and down through a classroom, visibly stressed.</p><p>Everything was upside down today. From the first moment, he woke up in the morning, until now his day has been absolutely nightmarish. He could not sleep well due to the stress caused by the competition and this also affected his vocal cords which in the morning were in a kind of 'strike'. He could not, in the name of all that is holy, reach some notes that he easily touched in the past. For a moment he thought he had completely lost his voice and the thought terrified him. He did everything he could to adjust his voice, but it seemed that something was wrong. He was very stressed, and these days he put a lot of pressure on his voice, singing with Chanyeol up to 3-4 hours a day. He struggled to get everything right, so he couldn't give up now for a few more hours so he tried to calm down and drank at least a liter of tea, enriched with honey.</p><p>Then, when it came time to go to school, he was stunned to find that the jacket he had prepared for the stage had two huge holes in one of his sleeves. He agreed with Chanyeol that they should both dress more or less the same, and they both chose a sober outfit consisting of a pair of black pants, a black shirt - for Chanyeol because it looks great in black –,a white one for Baekhyun -probably to show the purity of the young man. To complete the outfit, they both chose a suit jacket and Baekhyun could not wear it because of the huge holes. The young man thought that God had chosen to punish him for all his sins today; he really felt cursed or something.</p><p>Fortunately for him, the good and generous Himchan jumped to the rescue. This teenage fashionista had a whole collection of suit-jackets, some shocking, some overly colorful and interesting, but also normal for any occasion, so they will surely find a suitable one for the young man in distress.</p><p>“Calm down,” Seungri tried soothing his friend. “Himchan will be here in a few moments.”</p><p>Himchan entered the door a few seconds after Seungri spoke. He had with him three hangers, on which were placed in a very careful way about a dozen jackets of different sizes and colors. Himchan's life was most likely a mess, but he always took care of the clothes he wore.</p><p>A real fashion show started in the small classroom, directed of course by Himchan who comments - pros and cons - on each jacket worn by Baekhyun. Seungri was also on the 'jury', giving his opinion every time, although he had little idea what fashion was. The arsenal of jackets brought by Himchan was very useful and in the end, Baekhyun had to choose between two simple jackets, one black, and one white.</p><p>"Choose the white one, go well with your hair and complement the black one worn by Chanyeol," Himchan said, with a sincere smile on his face, looking at Baekhyun as he gets dressed. "You look like an angel. You're so darn cute!"</p><p>“Thanks,” Baekhyun smiled as well, feeling a bit better.</p><p>“Now, it’s time to show everyone how great of a singer you are. Go out there and kill them,” Seungri said with a smile.</p><p>“What if I choke? What if everything goes bad?” Baekhyun asked with a sigh.</p><p>“You will totally slay, we’re sure of it. Nothing bad will happen,” Himchan encouraged him further.</p><p>About half an hour later, Baekhyun was behind the main stage, looking terrified from behind the curtain at the crowd already gathering in the Auditorium, the hall where the show will be held. His heart was pounding as if it wanted to get out of his chest. He was so nervous that he was shaking badly but a single touch on his shoulder made him freeze.</p><p>"Are you ok?" Chanyeol's thick, booming voice tickled the blond's eardrums, making his knees soft. Baekhyun turned slightly to him, trying to hide any traces of stress.</p><p>Chanyeol was an attractive guy, but now he looks absolutely wonderful and totally delicious. Black was definitely his color, highlighting all the beautiful features of his face. This, combined with the satin shirt that hugged his body in all the right places - black as well- made him look absolutely delicious. He looked divine, but at this moment only sin is walking through Baekhyun's mind.</p><p>"Yeah," Baekhyun almost moaned, already feeling his cheeks flush. He was convinced that these perverse thoughts were due to the fact that he had been too close to Himchan lately.</p><p>"Do you want to practice again? I think it would do us good.”</p><p>Baekhyun nodded, smiling, and immediately followed the tall teenager out of the auditorium. The two found an empty classroom, and there they began to do vocal exercises, and finally to sing. Chanyeol didn't have a guitar with him, but that was just one of the problems; the other was that Baekhyun struggled to sing. His voice was trembling, he lost his rhythm and could not remember the lyrics at all, and the young man panicked and trembled, all in front of Chanyeol who was looking at him with a lost look upon his face.</p><p>Baekhyun trembled visibly and immediately after many attempts to sing, his eyes filled with tears. Soon he broke down in tears, unable to control the wave of emotions; he collapsed. Chanyeol didn't move for a few seconds, not knowing what to do, but then he approached his friend, and without thinking too much, he hugged him tightly. Baekhyun did not know how to breathe, his heart skipped a few beats and the tears stopped abruptly. He couldn't focus on anything else, Chanyeol's hug occupied his mind and his feelings have gone haywire.</p><p>"It'll be fine," Chanyeol's thick voice tickled Baekhyun's eardrum, causing his whole body to tremble. He was confused about his feelings at the moment, but he knew he liked to be held. "Calm down, please," he continued, softly as he hugged him.</p><p>Baekhyun sighed deeply, trying to calm down. He slowly raised his head, looking at Chanyeol with tears in his eyes. Chanyeol smiled, and then touched the blonde’s cheek with one hand, using his thumb to wipe away his tears. Baekhyun blushed, and for one reason or another could only look into the tall young man's eyes.</p><p>They began to talk, more or less, about their fears tonight. The young man was terrified that he would be laughed at, that his voice would crack and everyone would laugh at him. Chanyeol being a good listener, let Baekhyun rant about his problems, and then offered some advice. He told him to calm down, and while he was on stage to look for his loved ones. As for the others, Chanyeol offered him the most useful - but also funny - advice: to imagine his audience in underwear. Baekhyun laughed wholeheartedly and Chanyeol thought about how to tell him he had the most beautiful laugh in the world.</p><p>Chanyeol's advice seemed to help because, in the next few minutes, the two started singing together and this time Baekhyun sounded perfect.</p><p>People gathered and filled the auditorium completely, waiting for the talent show that promised to be sensational. It all started at 5 pm, with the speech of the director, Mr. Park, who wanted to congratulate all the participants and organizers of this contest. This was followed by the presentation of the jury tonight, a special jury composed of music teachers from each participating school plus Mr. Kwon, the official sponsor.</p><p>After a few moments, in a roar of applause, the show began. Chanyeol and Baekhyun will be the last, so they will have time to observe the level of competition and get rid of any emotion - although Baekhyun felt nothing but Chanyeol's arms embracing him.</p><p>One by one, the representative of each school entered the stage and began to show his talent. From the beginning, the competition turned out to be fierce, and the participants were very talented. Some had very beautiful voices, others danced very well and the show created was truly a magical one. Chanyeol was always by the side of the worried Baekhyun, encouraging him and giving him hope that they would win, in his opinion this is exactly what will happen because Baekhyun's voice was divine.</p><p>Finally, after grueling moments of waiting, it was time for the two to take the scene by storm. They were both behind the curtain, waiting to rise and their hearts were pounding. They looked into each other's eyes and nodded; they were ready. The curtain rose to applause and shouts of encouragement; their friends fully supported them. Their families were also there, to the surprise of Baekhyun, who did not think that his strict father would participate in such a thing, but he was glad to see him applauding. The blonde took a deep breath and Chanyeol started without hesitation to play the guitar.</p><p>
  <em>You could be my unintended</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Choice to live my life extended</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You could be the one I'll always love</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You could be the one who listens to my deepest inquisitions</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You could be the one I'll always love</em>
</p><p>Baekhyun's voice glided softly over the notes produced by Chanyeol's guitar strings, and any sound in the auditorium stopped. The blond closed his eyes, held the microphone tight, and sang, astonishing everyone around him; his voice was something divine. All this time, Chanyeol was looking at him, and for some reason –still unknown to him- he couldn’t look away.</p><p>
  <em>I'll be there as soon as I can</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But I'm busy mending broken pieces of the life I had before</em>
</p><p>Chanyeol's voice followed, deep and completely opposite to that of the blond. However, this formula fitted perfectly, and the tone that the guitarist used managed to bring shivers down Baekhyun’s spine; he was always a fan of baritone voices.</p><p>
  <em>First, there was the one who challenged</em>
</p><p>
  <em>All my dreams and all my balance</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She could never be as good as you</em>
</p><p>Baekhyun continued, much more confident in his own voice and ready to give his all to win. His voice echoed in the auditorium, and many in attendance stared as if mesmerized. One of them was his stage colleague, who almost forgot to play his guitar properly. Chanyeol took a deep breath, a big moment was coming and they had to do this perfectly.</p><p>
  <em>You could be my unintended</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Choice to live my life extended</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You should be the one I'll always love</em>
</p><p>To everyone's surprise, their voices came together and the moment left many amazed. Who would have thought that Baekhyun’s angelic voice would blend so beautifully with Chanyeol's baritone one? It was as if two different worlds merged, forming something even more beautiful and special. It was like the two, coming from different worlds but united for one purpose and this union was truly a special one.</p><p>
  <em>I'll be there as soon as I can</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But I'm busy mending broken pieces of the life I had before</em>
</p><p>As if that wasn't enough, Baekhyun had another surprise for the audience. At first, he had problems with the high notes at the end of the song, but he worked hard and did his best to bring his performance to another level. He simply played with the high notes, dancing among the lyrics with extraordinary grace. The audience was amazed - and so was Chanyeol, who smiled broadly as he looked at the blond with an angel's voice.</p><p>
  <em>Before you...</em>
</p><p>With a few snips of the guitar chords, the song ended, fading into silence.</p><p>The public response was immediate. A real round of applause was directed at the two. Family members and friends, but also truly moved colleagues, stood up to congratulate them. The performance was flawless. Then the curtain fell, and the jury remained to decide the winner; they had a very hard task.</p><p>♦</p><p>Backstage, Baekhyun couldn’t stay still and was still very nervous. He was glad that the performance went well, better than he expected. He surely didn’t expect so many people to cheer for him, and he was happy he was able to hit the high notes perfectly; he was most nervous about that. Now he was waiting for the results anxiously, backstage, pacing around nervously. He was currently alone, as Chanyeol left to the bathroom shortly and hasn’t come back yet.</p><p>“Wow, your voice is quite good,” a stranger's voice startled Baekhyun from his existential crisis. He turned around and saw one of the participants from one of the other schools, smiling at him. The teenager approached and then extended his hand towards him, “Kim JongIn, a pleasure.”</p><p>“Likewise,” Baekhyun said, smiling as well as he was shaking the hand of Kai; he had a strong grip. “Thank you.”</p><p>JongIn was from the Incheon institute and he was very gifted vocally but he was also a looker. He was tall, thin and had very nice features. He was a handsome young man, and from what Baekhyun remembered from his performance he could sing and dance as well –a skill Baekhyun hasn’t acquired yet.</p><p>“You killed it out there, I am glad to see the school has such a strong singing program. I’m thinking of transferring here starting next semester.”</p><p>“Oh, well, I am fairly new as well so I don’t know much about the programs,” Baekhyun smiled. “We do have an amazing music room though.”</p><p>“Maybe one day we can sing together, I’d love a duet with you,” JongIn smiled softly.</p><p>“Maybe one day,” Baekhyun chuckled nervously.</p><p>The two chatted for a while and JongIn seemed like a really nice guy, he kept complimenting Baekhyun and telling him how great he was. Then, after a while, Chanyeol appeared and things shifted, the conversation becoming a bit awkward. Luckily, it was announced that the jury was done deliberating and all the performers had returned to the stage.</p><p>♦</p><p>Director Park was on stage, among the talented and eager competitors to find out the results of the talent show. The man began by thanking everyone for his efforts, saying he was moved by all the songs - although he probably had a favorite. The emotions were great, especially for Baekhyun who felt that his heart pound as it would come out of his chest at that moment. Then the young man felt something else, something that made his heart tremble, he felt Chanyeol's hand holding his. It was a simple gesture of encouragement, but the blond got so excited that his cheeks turned red like the ripest tomato.</p><p>“Without further ado, I would like to congratulate the winners of tonight. It was a very hard choice for the jury to make but they all came to the same conclusion. The winners of Teen Fest’s talent show are the Kwon Institute representatives, Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhyun!”</p><p>Baekhyun gasped the moment he heard his name and tears already began pooling into his eyes. He heard Chanyeol cheer loudly and then out of the blue he was hugged by the latter, hugged so tightly that he could barely breathe anymore. Tears began falling in the next moment, tears of pure happiness. They won, they really won. The crowd went wild with cheers and applauses, all chanting their name and celebrating their victory. It was unbelievable, and Baekhyun couldn’t contain his tears.</p><p>The Kwon Institute was declared the winner of Teen Fest, snatching the trophy from the guys from the Busan Institute. They deserved it, they worked so hard and managed to overcome their differences and come out on top. The night ended with everyone that participated on stage, taking pictures and smiling happily. Such bliss!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <b>A few months later…</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The room he was in was all too familiar to him. He was here for the last eight, or maybe more hours. He was confused, trembling, crying, and asking to be released to see his lover. His wrists ached because of handcuffs that were too tight. People came and went from the room, all asking all sorts of questions, analyzing his answers, and trying to unravel this awful puzzle in which he seemed to be the main piece. His memories were clouded and fuzzy, he didn't remember much from last night. Music, party, laughter ... then that kiss, the argument and finally ... No! He didn't do that! It didn't hurt him!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The door opened again and the too-familiar face of the detection rose from the darkness. She had the same stoic expression and as she approached, Chanyeol could see that she had something in her hand, an evidence bag. She placed the transparent tea on the table and his eyes widened, his pupils dilating at the sight of the object soaked in blood. He gasped, and then started panting.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Do you recognize that?" the detective spoke in a voice as serious as ever. He nodded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"The T-Trophy ... the Teen Fest trophy ..." he said in a low voice. "... but why is it ... bloody?" he asked, already knowing the answer.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It has your fingerprints everywhere ..." she said, looking at him with a cold, unfriendly look. "Let's stop the whole charade. If you admit you hit Baekhyun, we can negotiate a lesser sentence. You don't want to go to jail at this age."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"No! I didn't do anything!" Chanyeol said, his eyes in tears. "Where's Baekhyun? He'll tell you I didn't do anything to him! I love him, for God's sake! I love him and I would never have done that!" he paused, looking at the detective with tears in his eyes. "Please at least tell me he's okay! Tell me!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The detective looked down, a clear sign that something was wrong. Chanyeol burst into tears, begging to be released so he could see him.</em>
</p><p>
  <b>Present-day</b>
</p><p>The ‘unholy trinity’ couldn’t believe it, they really had done it; they really managed to win this competition and brought pride to their high school. Everything seemed a bit surreal but good. They worked hard and the results showed, giving them a sense of accomplishment that felt awesome. Looking back at the hours spent training and rehearsing, the stress and arguments, they were proud of themselves that they didn’t give up and they pushed forward.</p><p>This was a great opportunity, especially for them as the new guys, to get acquitted with their new colleagues and discover new things about themselves and the world around them. Although their greeting at this school was not the happiest, they found that they could find common ground with different people. Hearing those chants and people rooting for them gave them more hope and more ambition to push through everything that comes their way and for the first time they really felt like they belonged there.</p><p>The next morning after the competition, the trio was on their way to school like every other weekly day. They were all pretty excited, talking about their experience and sharing thoughts about how it all went down. Himchan was explaining to the how he felt when he answered the last question, Seungri was boasting about the new school record that he set and Baekhyun was complaining that he felt like he didn’t quite hit a note or two during the singing part of the competition.</p><p>Entering the busy hallways of the high school, the three would receive an unusual reception, warmer than usual. From the moment 'the unholy trinity' set foot inside, all eyes were on them - nothing new until now - only now instead of unfriendly faces there were smiles and warm looks. Some of the colleagues with whom they have not exchanged a word in the past came to them and congratulated them personally. As they progressed, more and more of their colleagues greeted and congratulated them on their results causing them to be confused yet happy.</p><p>“Did we just become popular?” Seungri asked with a chuckle as he was opening his locker.</p><p>“They finally realized we’re precious gems and give us the attention we deserve,” Himchan said, exuding confidence, causing the other two to laugh.</p><p>“You seem to enjoy this attention,” Baekhyun laughed.</p><p>“If you got it, flaunt it,” Himchan ran one of his hands through his hair in a dramatic way. He was such a fool today but that’s because he was actually, genuinely happy.</p><p>All-day, the three were 'bombarded' with congratulations, warm words, and smiles and even if it was unusual, they can't say they didn't like it. Even the teachers were thankful, even Mr. Park came to them and shook their hands.</p><p>Jiyong, Yongguk, and Chanyeol were also very nice today; congratulating them and making them feel very special. Despite social differences - and not only - they formed beautiful friendships with their colleagues and noticed that not every rich kid is a snob who only cares about themselves. Yongguk was extremely smart, interested in art, and was the kindest person on Earth. Jiyong was very determined, he worked hard to overcome his status as a 'rich entitled guy' and to show everyone that he is also human and sometimes he hurts. And Chanyeol, who seemed a bit dumb in the beginning, turned out to be a very good listener, a friend that got excited over every little victory of his loved ones and more importantly Baekhyun’s biggest fan. The ‘unholy trinity’ certainly didn’t expect these friendships to bloom but they were happy to find genuinely nice people.</p><p>♦</p><p>Seungri entered the pool area and looked around confused. Jiyong texted him earlier, asking to meet him there after classes but now that the younger was here, there was no sign of the latter. As Seungri was about to text the latter back, Jiyong emerged from the lockers area, smiling widely and waving the younger to come over.</p><p>“Something wrong?” Seungri asked. Jiyong was mysterious, as always, not telling him exactly why they wanted to meet.</p><p>“No, nothing is wrong. I wanted to give you something,” Jiyong said with a smile. “Follow me.”</p><p>Seungri followed the latter inside the locker area and then towards Jiyong’s locker. The latter unlocked it and got out a package that he then handed to Seungri.</p><p>“It’s kind of a tradition to honor the MVP of Teen Fest and I truly think you’re the one that should receive all the awards,” Jiyong said with a smile. “I noticed your swimming bag is a little worn out so I thought you’d enjoy a new one…” he continued, still smiling.</p><p>“I…” Seungri didn’t know what to say, he just looked at Jiyong with wide eyes.</p><p>“Don’t think of it as charity or that I am making fun of your social status because I am not. Consider it a gift for putting up with me and doing such a good job,” Jiyong smiled again.</p><p>“T-thanks…” Seungri smiled as well, looking down, obviously shy about this.</p><p>“And…I have one more thing…” Jiyong continued his sequence of surprises. From the pocket of his suit jacket, he got out a blue case that he handed to the younger. Seungri opened it curiously, revealing a beautiful <a href="https://www.morleyathletic.com/images/products/acme_60_1_2_gold_plated_whistle_ma17574.jpg"><strong>gold-plated whistle</strong> </a>with S.R. engraved on it. “I talked with the coach after seeing you compete and we both agreed that starting next semester you should be captain of the swimming team. Not only you’re best suited for this since you’re the best swimmer but it will also look good on your school resume if you decide to pursue a career in sports. So, I got you this personalized whistle so that you’ll look really cool when you boss us around, captain.”</p><p>“C-Captain?” Seungri asked, feeling already as tears start pooling into his eyes.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I’ll be your co-captain and I will help you every step of the way, okay?” Jiyong said with a smile while looking at the other.</p><p>“T-Thank you!” Seungri burst into tears –of joy this time. To think he came here like a pariah and now he became captain, it was almost unbelievable.</p><p>Jiyong wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug which Seungri returned a few moments later. They hugged for several seconds and this felt so right, to Jiyong this was like home…though he would not admit that to Seungri. He didn’t understand what was going on but Seungri got under his skin like no one other; it was weird but so right at the same time. Images of what happened after the swimming competition rushed through his mind and a smile spread on his lips; he was confused but he felt too good to question it at the moment.</p><p>♦</p><p>It was getting dark, the sun was about to set, and the already rising moon was beginning to shine brighter in the sky of the Korean capital. Temperatures have dropped significantly these days and the late autumn spread over the city began turning slowly into winter; it was November, so it was expected.</p><p>A gorgeous black Bentley stopped in front of a modest house in a slum in Seoul. Yongguk got out of the car and headed for the front door, with a large gift bag in one of his hands. He rang the bell and waited a short time until the door was opened by none other than Himchan.</p><p>“Hi?” Himchan said, a bit confused. Yongguk didn’t tell him that he was going to visit.</p><p>“Hey,” said Yongguk while flashing his signature gummy smile. “Do you have a few moments?”</p><p>“Y-Yeah, I…well, come in…” Himchan said, stuttering because of that smile. He let the elder enter, smiling like a dumb guy the whole time. “I…I was just about to order something to eat…”</p><p>“You’re alone?”</p><p>“Yeah, I don’t know where they are,” he said, referring to his parents. “Probably drunk somewhere…”</p><p>“Then, can I stay for dinner? I’ll do the order, I know a great restaurant,” Yongguk said and Himchan’s heart was pumping blood like never before.</p><p>“S-Sure…”</p><p>While Yongguk placed the order for the full meal, Himchan went to change into something more presentable because the idea of Yongguk seeing him in just sweats and a white overused t-shirt the entire night was terrifying to the younger. So, after a few minutes, Himchan emerged back from his room looking a bit more presentable.</p><p>“Actually, why I am here is to give you this…” Yongguk said, handing the bag to the younger, with a broad –adorable- smile on his face. “It’s a little thank you gift for putting up with me during the preparation for the contest. I know it was a lot to learn and maybe I was not very patient and didn’t realize you were going through some things as well and I pushed you a bit too hard.”</p><p>“Y-You shouldn’t have…” Himchan was stunned, smiling like an idiot and looking at Yongguk unable to do anything else.</p><p>“Look inside…” Yongguk grinned.</p><p>Himchan opened the bag, chuckling as he found tons of chocolate and other sweets the two used to munch on during their study session. The real gift, though, was at the bottom of the bag and when Himchan brought it to the surface he burst into laughter. Yongguk took the liberty to design a shirt for him, it was a simple white t-shirt that had <b><em>Carbon Tetrachloride</em></b> –the answer that gave them the win- written on it, a sweet reminder of their victory. Himchan put it on immediately, noticing that Yongguk even got his size right; was this man even real?</p><p>The food arrived shortly and this was also Yongguk’s treat –mostly because this delivering restaurant was one of the fanciest and the prices weren’t that cheap- and then the two retreated to the living room in order to enjoy their meals. Himchan put on some music while they were eating and the atmosphere was so light and awesome. They talked a lot as well, about the contest and their lives, got to know each other better and generally had a good time together.</p><p>Yongguk was the kind of guy with whom you could have any conversation, he was laid back and chill and really smart; the sapiosexual in Himchan was having an orgasm just hearing him speak. They didn’t even notice how two hours passed; time sure flies when you’re having fun. Sadly, after a while, it was time for Yongguk to go home since it was getting kind of late and they had school in the morning.</p><p>“Thank you so much for this,” Himchan said with a grin. “And for tonight.”</p><p>“It was the best dinner I had in a while,” Yongguk smiled as well.</p><p>When it was time to part the two hugged and Himchan bit his lip feeling those strong arms wrap around his body. The arms, the tightness, his intoxicating manly perfume, Himchan was in heaven for a couple of seconds, praying to the Universe that this would last longer. Yongguk then left, and Himchan waved goodbye from the door as he watched him get into his super fancy Bentley. After the car left, he closed the door of the house and sighed deeply. He had a huge crush on that guy, but he resigned himself to the thought that nothing would ever happen between them. What he didn't know was that Yongguk stopped the car a few blocks away, ready to turn around ... why? Because he couldn't get Himchan out of his mind. Her heart was pounding and he didn't quite understand what was happening but all that crossed his mind was the young man's smile.</p><p>♦</p><p>Near Baekhyun's modest house, there was a park where he played when he was a child. Even now, during the day, many children come here to enjoy the sets of swings, seesaws, or slides and sandpits. With small, uncertain steps, Baekhyun headed there, constantly looking at the phone indicating 10:30 PM, half an hour past his school night curfew. He went out the window, a crazy thing considering the goody-two-shoes personality he displayed in front of his much too conservative parents. Why? He didn't know why he was so carried away.</p><p>Chanyeol texted him about half an hour ago, saying that he was heading for him, that they should meet because they had something to talk about. Baekhyun refused at first, knowing he could not leave the house, telling Chanyeol that they would meet the next day at school but the elder did not take no for an answer, saying that what he had to say was important. So, Baekhyun was impulsive perhaps for the first time in his life, jumped out of his room window and snuck out into the nearby park.</p><p>He saw Chanyeol leaning on his motorcycle and walked over to him, curious about the conversation that was so important it couldn't be delayed. The tall boy smiled at him and then the two shook hands and exchanged a bro-hug.</p><p>“So? What did you want to talk about?” Baekhyun asked impatiently. He knew he will be in a world of trouble if any of his parents bust into his room right now and he wasn’t there. They wouldn’t normally do so but who knows.</p><p>“I wanted to give you something,” Chanyeol smiled, “a small appreciation token for working so hard and killing it at the contest.”</p><p>“You already thanked me, and we both worked hard, there’s no need to thank me…”</p><p>“You stepped out of your comfort zone and helped me do so as well, and you also put up with me considering our first encounters weren’t the friendliest.”</p><p>“And whose fault was that?” Baekhyun asked, raising his eyebrows, causing Chanyeol to laugh.</p><p>“Exactly,” Chanyeol chuckled, knowing he was at fault. “So that’s why I bought you this. It’s not much but I hope you like it…”</p><p>Out of the chest pocket of his leather jacket –that hugged his body in all the right places and gave him such a bad boy vibe- Chanyeol got out a small red case that he gave to the younger. Baekhyun took it, confused, and then opened it slowly, revealing a small <a href="https://www.silverplace.co.uk/prodimages/2357-double-note-keyring.jpg"><strong>silvery keychain </strong></a>in the shape of a musical note. Baekhyun didn’t know what to say or do, but he felt those butterflies in his stomach roaming around…and he also felt himself blushing at the gesture.</p><p>“I…wow…I didn’t get the chance to get you anything…I…”</p><p>“You don’t have to get me anything;  I just wanted to show me appreciation,” Chanyeol said with a chuckle, seeing how stunned the younger was. “Do you like it?”</p><p>“I love it,” Baekhyun said with a smile as well. “Thank you!” he beamed.</p><p>As if the two were thinking the same thing, they approached each other more and hugged, and in those moments Baekhyun realized he loved to be squeezed tightly like that. Chanyeol realized something too; he realized that he loved the way Baekhyun’s small frame almost got lost into his arms, he also enjoyed the strawberry scent coming from the younger –probably his shower gel- and the soft sigh he released when their bodies collided.</p><p>The hug broke but the two still looked at each other and it seemed like time stood still. Baekhyun bit his bottom lip in a very seductive way –at least to Chanyeol. The elder had to stop himself from acting on his instincts because the only instinct that he had now was to push Baekhyun against his motorcycle and make-out with him. Why? He didn’t know, he just felt like it.</p><p>They spent a few more minutes talking about the show, but sadly Baekhyun had to go back home before anyone notices he was gone. Also, he was freezing; he only had some skimpy pants on, a t-shirt, and a hoodie. With one last brief hug, they parted and Baekhyun ran back inside, red as a tomato and oddly happy. Chanyeol lingered a bit, watching the younger leave and sighing deeply. Was he falling for Baekhyun or was this just his imagination?</p>
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<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>hings resumed their mundane rhythm. Although much has changed - and will continue to change in the months to come - the unholy trinity continued their lives in the same way as before. Seungri continued his work at the restaurant, working harder than before. In recent weeks, due to the competition, he neglected his job and this had a total impact on his income. The medicines his mother needed were more and more expensive and for that, he had to bring more money into the house. He had to give his mother and sister all the best; he felt it was his duty to support the family as best he could.</p><p>To maintain a good social life, to have good grades at school so as not to disappoint your parents, and to work to contribute to the well-being of the family is exhausting and Seungri felt that. He felt it in his bones, in the muscles that hurt him, in the throbbing headache he had every time he got home. It was a hard life and he did his best to stay afloat, no matter how tired he was.</p><p>These days, when he leaves school directly for work, he was terribly tired. He arrived home at 10 PM, completely exhausted but glad to have received enough money to buy medicine for his mother. He loved her too much to lose her. It seemed like everyone was asleep when he got home, but entering the small living room he saw Hanna, his sister, sitting on the old couch watching TV.</p><p>“Why aren’t you in bed?” Seungri asked with a soft tone. The two siblings were very close.</p><p>“I wanted to wait for you,” she said with a soft voice as well. He sat down on the couch and she immediately hugged him tightly. “Are you hungry?”</p><p>“I ate at the restaurant,” he said with a smile. “Did you eat?”</p><p>“Yes, dad cooked dinner. There are leftovers in the fridge if you want,” she said with a small smile.</p><p>“How’s mom?” Seungri asked and saw that her demeanor changed.</p><p>“She felt really bad today,” Hanna looked down, sniffling, tears already pooling in her beautiful eyes. “She could barely get out of bed,” she continued with a weak voice as she was about to cry.</p><p>Seungri’s heart broke as Hanna started crying. He cared about his sister a lot and felt really bad because she had to endure this pain at such a young age. She was 13 but life forced her to mature earlier; she couldn’t enjoy her childhood properly. He hugged her immediately and tried getting her to stop crying.</p><p>“Everything’s going to be alright,” he assured her, holding her tightly as she cried in his arms. “We are strong and we’ll get through this.”</p><p>Eventually, she stopped crying and Seungri tucked her in as the good brother that he was. Then, he went to his own room, changed into PJ’s, and went straight to sleep, he was absolutely exhausted.</p><p>♦</p><p>Baekhyun decided to dedicate himself more to the family, so he helped the church as much as he could. These days he was thinking of getting a job, an extra income to bring home would be beneficial but his parents - especially his father - forbade him to do so, saying that he should focus more on his studies.</p><p>“Your grades have been dropping,” his father said with a cold tone as he looked through his report card. Every week, Mr. Byun would look through Baekhyun’s report card; it was more or less a tradition as this happened ever since Baekhyun entered middle school.</p><p>“It’s just an A- in chemistry,” Baekhyun said, defending his grade. “The quiz was a surprise and I got the highest mark in my class.”</p><p>“I don’t care! You’re a straight-A student and I expect nothing less than that!” his father said in a rough tone. “The only thing you have to do is study, so do it!”</p><p>“I am studying as hard as I can!”</p><p>“I don’t see that! The only thing you did these past weeks was to slack off from school and Church in order to be on stage for three minutes. And what good did that silly competition do to your academics?” the glare Mr. Byun said was downright intimidating and scary. Baekhyun was used to his harsh words but this was really hurting him. “Stop being lazy or there will be consequences!” Mr. Byun continued, throwing that report card in Baekhyun’s face.</p><p>The only thing Baekhyun could do was nod and return to his room. Tears pooled in his eyes but he refused to cry, instead, he got out his headphones and connected them to his phone. The first song from the playlist was the one he and Chanyeol covered during the competition and that instantly made him smile.</p><p>He still sings often, humming lyrics from the song, letting pleasant memories flood his mind, causing him to smile widely. He also sang at church, but he wasn't the same, he didn't feel as free, as good as on that stage ... with him. He did not know what was happening, but for some reason he could not stop his mind from fleeing with the thought of Chanyeol, that night, the gift offered after; and that worried him for a reason.</p><p>♦</p><p>Himchan could not enjoy victory at TeenFest for long. Life tended to suck -especially in his case. The wonderful story of his parents' soberness did not last long and they fell back into those dangerous vices. Then he fell as well. The lack of a stable income pushed him to sell banned substances, and although he stopped for a few weeks, he resumed his activities just last night. Drug dealing was dangerous but he paid well and Himchan needed that money to support himself. He wasn't proud of what he was doing but he had to live somehow. Recent events have twisted and turned his feelings upside down and an extraordinary battle was going on in his mind and heart which was consuming his soul. He was head over heels in love with someone he shouldn't be and that was not good for his sanity.</p><p>With his hoodie on, he was strolling around the abandoned buildings and construction sites in search of clients. He headed to one of his usual places, a run-down construction site where a few of his usual clients were hanging out. There weren’t many people here tonight but he stuck around, lighting up one joint in order to relax a bit.</p><p>“Haven’t seen you around in a while,” a familiar voice came from the shadows causing Himchan to turn around, confused. A few moments later, the figure of a guy appeared in front of him; it was that Minhyuk guy he spoke with a few weeks ago.</p><p>“I’ve been busy,” Himchan replied dryly, pulling his hoodie more over his head.</p><p>“I saw,” the guy chuckled, approaching. Himchan didn’t see it but a smirk crept up Minhyuk’s lips. “Congratulations on the victory! I had no idea you’re that smart.”</p><p>“Uhm…” Himchan wanted to leave; he didn’t like the idea of someone from his school knowing about his side-job. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”</p><p>“You’re funny,” Minhyuk chuckled as he approached more. “Don’t worry, I won’t snitch or anything. Besides, I am looking for some good weed and last time yours was awesome. Do you have some more? I am willing to pay double.”</p><p>Himchan pondered for a moment before he dug his hands into the pocket of his hoodie and got out a few joints that he handed to the teenager that was standing now in front of him. Himchan could see him clearer now, he looked to be younger than him but despite his innocent vibe, he could tell he was a troublemaker. Minhyuk handed him a roll of cash, probably way more than the actual price but Himchan didn’t care, he really needed the money.</p><p>“Do you want to stay and smoke with me?”</p><p>“Some other time, I am busy.”</p><p>“Well then, it was a pleasure, like always. See you at school,” Minhyuk winked. Himchan then turned around and headed straight home, his heart still beating powerfully from the encounter; he hoped he would not regret this.  </p><p>
  <strong>♦</strong>
</p><p>“Ha! Eat my dust Yeollie!” Yongguk said with a wholehearted laugh as he was pushing buttons like crazy on the console.</p><p>“Eat a dick, Gukkie!” Chanyeol retaliated after he took another swing of the energy drink he had beside him. He then furiously began pushing buttons as well, being very focused on the racing game they were playing.</p><p>Jiyong snickered and then a smirk spread on his face. With a few pushes of the buttons, the race car that he was controlling stormed ahead, going past Yongguk’s and Chanyeol’s and ultimately winning the race.</p><p>“Will you ever realize you can’t beat me at this game?” Jiyong laughed, watching his friends staring at him in shock with their mouths agape.</p><p>Three other rounds followed, all won by Jiyong who really was incredibly good at this racing game. They didn't hang out like this since the school year began, mainly because of their busy schedule, school, or other activities. However, every time the three met, they spent quality time together, playing on the console and talking about everything that was going on in their lives. Although their lives seemed carefree due to social status, there were times when even the richest people suffered.</p><p>These kinds of meetings help everyone forget about problems for a short time, discuss and find a solution to anything that worries them. Everyone knew that they could count on their small group and that their secrets would remain between them. From happy and silly tales of teenage life to the tragedies that strike when you least expect it, the three have always met and offered their unconditional support.</p><p>Things have changed lately, but the change seemed to be quite good. Dami's death affected Jiyong so much that for a few months, he didn't even smile, it was as if his soul had left his body, he was present but also so absent in any sign of social life. Yongguk and Chanyeol have been there for him all along and have managed to get him on the right track, but these weeks - exactly since he started preparing for Teen Fest - seemed to have a very positive impact on him.</p><p>Jiyong smiled, laughed, joked all the time, and seemed much happier; he seemed to be living for the first time since the unfortunate tragedy.</p><p>“It’s good seeing you this way,” Yongguk said, as the three decided to leave the console for a while and go to the balcony that Jiyong’s room opened to. It was a beautiful sunny day, it was quite warm as well so the perfect time to enjoy a drink or smoke out in the open. “You know, happier,” he continued after drawing a few clouds of smoke from the cigar.</p><p>Jiyong looked at him and chuckled, nodding in agreement. “I am happier,” he continued, he too drawing smoke from his own cigar.</p><p>“Is there a particular reason why you’re so jovial?” Yongguk asked, curious as ever.</p><p>“Kind of, I mean…” Jiyong stopped, sighing.</p><p>“Or a particular person?” Chanyeol asked, chuckling as he looked at Jiyong. “I doubt Chaerin is making you smile this much,” he added again with a chuckle causing Jiyong to look down.</p><p>“Shut up…” Jiyong glared.</p><p>It was no surprise that a teenager's life was bizarre. Besides the fact that life was not easy, a teenager has to deal with tons of emotions and many hormones that flood his senses. That's how Jiyong felt, he was confused about his feelings but at the same time, he knew what he wanted. However, what he wanted was not in line with society's standards, it was not normal, ordinary. But when was he ever ordinary?</p><p>He was always raised knowing that he was special - mostly because of his social status - but growing up he realized that maybe he was a special individual. His life, since he was little, has been put under a microscope. He was Kwon Jiyong, heir of the Kwon Empire so he had to be that model boy society expected. This was really exhausting, and he didn't like it at all. He wanted to be rebellious, free to make decisions that he didn't need to explain too much, but at the same time, he didn't want to disappoint his family. They had expectations from him, everyone had expectations from him and he was a little tired.</p><p>Probably all three felt this, and the changes they go through will make them realize that things are different from what they thought until now. They had to realize, although in a way they knew this, that all this is normal and that you cannot command the heart; no matter how hard you try. It was scary to go through something like that but they had each other and if they were open to each other they were convinced that they could face any obstacle.</p><p>Seeing that things took a bit of an awkward turn, Chanyeol changed the subject, starting to talk about his birthday in a few weeks. He will turn 18 at the end of the month and the event was to be marked by a luxurious party. He had many ideas for a lavish party that the tabloids would talk about for months.</p><p>They really needed a party; they needed to relax after all the effort at school and in the Teen Fest competition. A crazy night of dancing, joy, and nonchalance will recharge their batteries, especially as the semester exam season at school follows.</p><p>“Can I help?” Jiyong’s mood instantly changed; he was gleaming as he asked the question. He loved throwing parties and organizing them.</p><p>“I was hoping you’d offer; no one throws a party as you do,” Chanyeol smiled.</p><p>“Do you have a budget?” Jiyong asked.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Perfect,” Jiyong smirked and then turned towards Yongguk.</p><p>“You know the best DJ’s in Seoul, right?”</p><p>“Yeah, I know some of them.”</p><p>“Get me the best one! Our Chanyeollie deserves the best!”</p><p>“I agree! Our Chanyeollie turns 18!” Yongguk cheered as well.</p><p>“Call me Chanyeollie one more time and you’ll regret it,” Chanyeol glared at his friends who burst into laughter.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>This monster of a chapter took forever but I hope you'll love it. There's a little surprise in there. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Enjoy! ❤</strong>
</p><hr/><p>"How do I look?" Himchan asked almost rhetorically, spinning in front of the large mirror in his room. He wore a pair of tight imitation leather pants that offered a divine view — or rather sinful — over the parts of his body he was most proud of, his bottom and thighs; the pants hugged the body in all the right places.</p><p>For the upper body, he chose a simple blouse, and over it, he put on a leather jacket as sexy as the pants. The recent 'business' proved to be very profitable, so much so that Himchan got rid of the money, for a short time at least. He bought clothes for himself and his friends, all for tonight's special event; shopping for clothes was his way to get rid of stress and God knows he was stressed lately.</p><p>"Fabulous," Seungri commented, admiring his friend and praising him for his fashion sense. "You'll surely snap a few necks," he laughed.</p><p>"I hope so," Himchan smirked, and then turned to his two friends. "What are you waiting for, get dressed!"</p><p>Seungri and Baekhyun both complied and started dressing in the clothes bought by their good friend. For Seungri, Himchan chose to flaunt his muscles with a white shirt that highlighted his chest and abdomen muscles, without making him stand out too much. The shirt was tight, but not too tight and of a perfect length for the swimmer's body. He completed the outfit with a black casual jacket and a pair of blue jeans that highlighted the curves of his body. Seungri looks good and seemed to love the outfit.</p><p>"You are an incomprehensible genius," Seungri said in astonishment, looking in the mirror and doing somersaults.</p><p>"I've been told before," Himchan grinned like a Cheshire cat.</p><p>For Baekhyun, Himchan chose something totally different from the clothes the young man usually wore. He chose a fluffy white turtleneck that highlighted the purity of the church boy, a thin cardigan to serve as a jacket, and a pair of pants that gave the impression that this good boy could be a little wild. The pants were the star of the outfit, with a sexy cut and suitable for Baekhyun's thin legs and slightly bubble ass.</p><p>"Isn't this a bit too much?" Baekhyun asked, looking skeptically in the mirror. “What’s wrong with my normal clothes?”</p><p>“They’re bland and not fashionable,” Himchan explained with a serious face. “Why are you complaining? You really look good.”</p><p>“The pants are a bit too tight,” Baekhyun said with a sigh.</p><p>“They’re as tight as they need to be so quit bitching. You’ll definitely get people’s attention.”</p><p>“But I don’t want to do that…” Baekhyun sighed again. “I don’t even want to go…”</p><p>“Did you lie to your parents again?” Seungri asked.</p><p>“Yeah, they didn’t want to let me come but I managed to convince them that we’re going to study for the upcoming exams.”</p><p>“That’s why we have to have fun tonight! For the next weeks, we’ll be stuck inside, between our books and that’s no fun!” Himchan said with a wide smile across his face; he sure did love a good party. “Let’s party, chicos!”</p><p>♦</p><p>The November air wasn't exactly warm, but it wasn't cold tonight. The wind blew slowly and the sky was full of stars with the moon shining brightly among them. It was the end of November, a month full of change. Winter had begun to set in, and although it hadn't snowed yet, it didn't seem long until the first snowflakes fell. Temperatures dropped, the wind was colder and the nights longer.</p><p>Tonight was a special one, it was Park Chanyeol's birthday; the young man turned 18 years old and this anniversary had to be celebrated with much pomp. Luxurious and opulent parties were common among the rich. Whenever they did well in business or not the rich felt the need to throw a party. For them it was a way of showing their superiority; the grander the party, the better. It was a coming of age party, so it had to be an absolutely spectacular one, one that the tabloids will talk about the next day.</p><p>Who was the one giving the craziest parties? Of course Jiyong, so Chanyeol asked his good friend for help. Jiyong accepted immediately, he needed a distraction in his life and this party seemed the perfect solution. He 'baked' the idea for about a week before he got to work and the results were not long in coming. The Park mansion looks incredible in the end and Jiyong was very happy with his work. The theme of the party revolved around music, especially Chanyeol's love of music.</p><p>About two dozen cars were already parked in the villa parking lot, and guests were still coming. Chanyeol knew a lot of people, was one of the most popular guys in school and was never shy from bragging about his wealth. He invited the whole high school to this party, except for those under 16 – in his opinion, this was no place for such a group of people. In addition, he had other acquaintances outside of high school so the guest list numbered over 150 people. Of course, not everyone will come, but even so, it was clear that the party will be a grand one</p><p>You could find the birthday boy in the middle of the dance floor, smiling wide and entertaining guests with silly dances. He was dressed simply, in a pair of black jeans that highlighted his thin, long legs and a white loose-fitting shirt that fit perfectly over his fit upper body. He had some guitar-shaped party glasses on his eyes that looked absolutely funny - it was his birthday, so he could be as immature as he wanted. The music was booming in the speakers brought specially for this occasion and the DJ was mixing up the hottest tracks, entertaining guests as best as he could. Jiyong made sure to pick the best for his best friend.</p><p>He always looked at the door, paying attention to who was entering because he liked to greet each guest warmly, either by handshaking or hugging, smiling broadly, and thanking them for their presence.</p><p>“Will you take those stupid glasses off? You look dumb!” complained Jennie as she reached to get the accessory off her boyfriend’s eyes but failing as Chanyeol towered over her. He only laughed.</p><p>“It’s my birthday, I don’t care!” Chanyeol said, moving to the rhythm of the music. He wrapped an arm around the petite girl and leaned in for a kiss but Jennie grimaced.</p><p>“Stop!” she whined. “You know I don’t like kissing you when you smoke or drink. It smells disgusting…”</p><p>“It’s cute when you whine,” he laughed, overpowering her pulling her in for a kiss. She couldn’t do anything else, just got lost in the kiss she claimed she didn’t want.</p><p>“You’re such a kid,” she playfully punched his chest. “Will you grow up?”</p><p>“Never!”</p><p>“I’m serious Chanyeol, you’re 18 now!” she said, causing Chanyeol to roll his eyes.</p><p>“Let’s dance and worry about that later!” he pulled her towards him once again.</p><p>They joined others on the fabulous dance floor, and for a few moments just got lost in the enticing rhythm until Chanyeol looked at the door.  The unholy trinity just walked inside and the three looked absolutely incredible. For one reason or another, Chanyeol's gaze was fixed on Baekhyun who did not seem at all in his element. He looked almost scared like he was overwhelmed by the whole situation and in Chanyeol’s eyes, this seemed kind of cute like he wanted to protect him. He had to go and greet him but he couldn’t stop looking at him.</p><p>“Are you even listening to me?” Jennie asked in an annoyed tone.</p><p>“Sorry, I have to greet a few guests. Be right back,” he said, smiling widely as he headed towards the door, leaving her alone and frustrated on the dance floor.</p><p>He swiftly headed towards the front door, smiling brightly than ever while his eyes were on the three –or rather only one member of the trio. He smiled again as he arrived in front of them and offered his hand for them to shake. A simple handshake was exchanged between him and Seungri and Himchan but his touch lingered onto Baekhyun’s hand for a few moments longer –not that anyone noticed.</p><p>“Happy birthday,” the three said almost in unison.</p><p>“Thanks,” he said while beaming. “I’m so happy you decided to come,” he said, now looking mostly at Baekhyun.</p><p>“We couldn’t miss the party of the year,” Himchan said with a chuckle. “Where’s the bar?”</p><p>“Back there,” Chanyeol pointed towards the back of the room. “There are alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, cocktails, and all sorts of other refreshments. We also have a full snack bar with all the party snacks that you can imagine. I really hope you enjoy this party!” Chanyeol said with a happy tone.</p><p>“We will!” Seungri said with a smile.</p><p>Chanyeol and Baekhyun looked at each other for a moment and it seemed that the younger wanted to say something but he didn’t have the chance because, in the next moment, Himchan dragged his two friends towards the bar area. Chanyeol stood there and couldn’t help but chuckle, then returned to the dance floor where Jennie was dancing with some of her girlfriends.</p><p>♦</p><p>“What’s this?” Baekhyun asked, grimacing as the strong taste of the drink Himchan served him hit his taste buds.</p><p>“Orange juice,” Himchan answered nonchalantly. “…with a dash of vodka.”</p><p>“I don’t want to get drunk,” Baekhyun put the drink down, not intending to take another sip.</p><p>“You won’t get drunk off this,” Seungri said with a chuckle while Himchan just rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Come on, let’s dance!” Himchan said suddenly, dragging the two to the dance floor.</p><p>While Baekhyun was a bit reluctant, he decided to go with the flow for once and began swaying to the rhythm and enjoying himself. He did not see it but from the back, Chanyeol was watching him and resisting the urge to go there and dance with him. The three danced for a while but then they split, with Baekhyun going to have another drink –this time a non-alcoholic one-, Seungri going to the toilet and Himchan going to mingle with the other guests.</p><p>Himchan loved parties; there was no denying that, he was in his element and he loved with. So, with a smile on his lips and a drink in his hand, he was determined to have a good time. He was growing in popularity among his peers recently and he couldn’t say he didn’t enjoy this. He mingled with the crowd for a while, talking with the people at school and enjoying himself as best as he could. His popularity meant that the attention of many was focused on him, and these people were not exactly to Himchan's liking. He did not like rich snobs, and although he loved luxury and opulence, he hated when the only personality trait of a person was their wealth. He wanted to have a decent conversation, which was more and more difficult to find nowadays.</p><p>When someone tapped his shoulder, Himchan was expecting a completely different person - probably a tall, handsome teenager with an adorable gummy smile - but instead, he was greeted by none other than Minhyuk, who had a smirk on his face.</p><p>"Fancy seeing you here," he said, looking at Himchan from head to toe. "I thought you were just ruining dilapidated buildings," he continued, with that dirty smile still dancing on his lips.</p><p>"You thought wrong," Himchan replied dryly.</p><p>"Do you wanna dance?"</p><p>"Maybe later. Now I want to have fun."</p><p>"Don't be so mean," Minhyuk's hand gripped Himchan's wrist tightly, pulling him toward him. "You could have a pretty good time with me," he continued, smirking once again. Himchan wanted to punch that stupid smirk off his face.</p><p>The latter tried to escape the teenager's grip but it seemed that Minhyuk was stronger than he seemed. The grip intensified as Minhyuk desperately wanted to dance with Himchan, while the latter completely refused. The tension between them reached a peak and Himchan was thinking of throwing the drink in his face, but this will surely attract everyone's attention and for the first time he really didn't want that.</p><p>"Do we have a problem here?" Yongguk's voice echoed behind Minhyuk.</p><p>The brunette watched the scene from afar, and as soon as he saw something that did not like, he decided to intervene. He was taller and fitter than Minhyuk, making him look more threatening. For the first few seconds, his and Himchan's eyes met and time seemed to stand still. Almost instantly, Minhyuk let go of Himchan's hand and turned towards the brunet with wide, scared eyes.</p><p>"No, Minhyuk is just leaving," Himchan replied calmly, smiling mischievously at Minhyuk who seemed extremely intimidated by Yongguk. "Right?"</p><p>"Y-Yeah, sorry ..." Minhyuk stammered as he left, not looking back.</p><p>Himchan chuckled and then without a word, turned, heading for one of the many exits; he needed some air. Yongguk looked at him for a few seconds and then followed him. Within seconds, Himchan was behind Kai's villa, in one of the most beautiful gardens in Seoul.</p><p>"You shouldn't have come to save me, I had the situation under control," Himchan said, knowing that somewhere behind him was Yongguk. He immediately heard him giggle.</p><p>"I know you can protect yourself, I just dislike the guy too much for not intervening," Yongguk said calmly, now approaching Himchan who stopped walking. "He's an idiot; the youngest of the mayor's family, a frustrated spoiled bastard who thinks he's the king of the world."</p><p>"A very accurate description," Himchan laughed.</p><p>The two walked together for a short time, then sat on one of the benches in the garden. They started talking, Yongguk complimenting Himchan's outfit and saying that he was glad to see him at the party. Then everyone lit a cigarette and the conversations did not stop. That's what Himchan adores about Yongguk, he knew how to have a conversation, and he was never boring.</p><p>"Don't you have something stronger?" Yongguk asked, putting out his half-burned cigarette. He felt the need for something to make him forget the thoughts in his head.</p><p>"I do," Himchan opened his pack of cigarettes, finding that he had only one joint left. "I only have one ..."</p><p>"We can share," Yongguk said, thinking out loud. Then he stopped. "...if you want..."</p><p>"Okay," Himchan could barely say anything right now. This proposal left him speechless.</p><p>So Himchan lit up the joint and the two began to smoke, sharing with each other as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The younger was glad it was dark outside because he was blushing like he never did; he couldn't believe his lips were touching something that Yongguk's lips touched; if only their lips touched as well. Himchan was happy, he looked at the smoke coming out of Yongguk's mouth and sighed happily ... damn he was so in love.</p><p>♦</p><p>Baekhyun didn't feel good at the party, he just couldn't find his place. The music was too loud, and there were too many people around for his taste; he was not a fan of parties. It was almost midnight, and he wanted to go home. He didn't even know where his friends were, but he suspected that Himchan was dancing somewhere, probably already drunk, and Seungri was socializing with people he didn't know very well. He was kind of jealous of his friends because they were more open to new ideas and could socialize easily, he admitted he was a bit awkward.</p><p>"Are you feeling alright?" Chanyeol's thick voice woke the young blond from his trance. He was no longer alone on the couch, now Chanyeol was beside him, smiling.</p><p>"Y-Yeah, I'm fine ..." Baekhyun smiled as well. "Great party!"</p><p>"You don't seem to be having fun," Chanyeol observed.</p><p>"I guess I'm not really the party type."</p><p>'What if I make this party better?'</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"Give me 10 minutes!"</p><p>Chanyeol fled immediately and Baekhyun saw him heading for one of the upper rooms of the villa. After less than five minutes, Chanyeol returned, this time with his guitar in his hand. Without thinking too much, he went straight to the DJ booth and for a few seconds, they just talked. Then, the DJ killed the music to the groans of the others who were enjoying a dance. Chanyeol took one of the microphones from the DJ's equipment and apologized for the interruption and then gave a small speech of thanks to everyone for being present. As he spoke, he looked at Baekhyun and smiled, it was so natural for him to smile in the young man's presence. Baekhyun watched him too, wondering what he meant earlier.</p><p>"I have another little surprise for you. Because the theme of this party revolves around music, I decided to sing something too. So, I would like, if Baekhyun agrees with me, to sing the winning song at Teen Fest. What do you think, Baek? “Chanyeol spoke and Baekhyun's heart skipped a few beats; in fact, it was about to stop. Several of those present turned to him and now the blond felt like a deer caught in front of the headlights of a car. He didn't move or say anything for a few seconds. Chanyeol chuckled. "My stage partner is a little shy so I want everyone to encourage and applaud him. Can you do that?"</p><p>There was a roar of applause and flattery to Baekhyun, a moment that made Baekhyun's knees soft. He was smiling, but he didn't know why, maybe because Chanyeol was smiling at him too. He was scared, he was really nervous but when Chanyeol called him to him, he flew off the couch and went there. The taller man gave him his microphone and soon the duo that impressed the Kwon Institute began singing. Baekhyun's voice was a little shaky at first; understandable because of the emotions, but then he relaxed and sang flawlessly. As always, when he sang near Chanyeol, the world seemed to no longer exist for Baekhyun. It was just the two of them, looking at each other and singing; nothing else mattered. When the song was over, another round of applause followed and Baekhyun could barely see his best friends standing in the front row and cheering for him.</p><p>"I hope you weren't upset, I wanted to do something I knew you liked," Chanyeol said, approaching the blonde. Baekhyun looked down and chuckled, his cheeks were very red and his heart was pounding.</p><p>"Thank you ..." Baekhyun smiled. Then, they shared a handshake a brief hug –though both of them wanted to hug deeply, this was not the time and place.</p><p>♦</p><p>Seungri was determined to feel good at this party; he has been working too hard lately and even needed a break. Lately, life has only given him difficulties, so it was time to forget about problems, at least for a while, and have fun with his friends. Chanyeol's party was truly spectacular and offered many pleasures from which the young man enjoyed himself happily and without worries. He did shots with Himchan and a few other guys, danced with Baekhyun and they fooled around, laughing out loud together and trying to forget about the stress at home.</p><p>The loud music was blaring through the massive speakers and Seungri was on the dance floor, dancing and moving his body in a very enticing way -to be honest, it was a sexy song. He attracted looks from both genders, most of them admiration but also jealousy, but at this moment he didn't care about anything, he danced and felt good. A pair of eyes were fixed on him all night, from the moment he entered, and the look in those eyes expressed pure desire. Jiyong noticed him instantly and since then he couldn't look anywhere else, it was as if he was under a spell, completely mesmerized.</p><p>Although he organized the party, Jiyong could not enjoy it too much. Why? Because Chaerin was in one of her moods again and when she was angry, she would get it all out on him. They quarreled from the moment they left home, and whatever Jiyong was doing seemed wrong. Recently they were arguing again because Jiyong drank a few shots with Yongguk and Chanyeol and smoked a few cigarettes outside, it bothered her, a lot, that Jiyong dared to come to her smelling of smoke. Jiyong was so over her mood, he simply didn’t care anymore and continued drinking; no matter how much that pissed her off. Jiyong's eyes stopped again on Seungri, he could see him on the dance floor, moving his body in a way that called to him. He had some thoughts these days, not very tame ones regarding Seungri. He wasn't sure what he was feeling, well actually he was sure but he didn't know how he got here and wondered if he should take the first step or wait for these feelings to pass. He liked the young swimmer more than a friend and that terrified him and made him happy at the same time. He was confused and wanted to know if Seungri shared his feelings. There was a way to find out, but it was risky and could ruin their friendship. Still, this was on Jiyong's mind all night and he wanted to do it, even if Seungri would not speak to him again.</p><p>He was drunk enough to do anything, and after another shot of vodka - to the displeasure of his girlfriend - he went straight to the dance floor. He approached Seungri and then touched his shoulder.</p><p>“Can I steal you for a few seconds?” he spoke in a low tone that was quite sexy.</p><p>“Sure,” Seungri said with a small smile. He didn’t hang out with Jiyong tonight so he thought that the latter wanted some attention; he didn’t know what was about to happen.</p><p>He followed Jiyong until they got out of the room and headed deeper into the Park villa. After a while, Jiyong opened the door to one of the rooms and both entered. The room was dimly lit but Seungri could see the way Jiyong was looking at him, like a predator watching his pray moments before impact. Jiyong started complimenting the younger on his outfit, calling it sexy to which the younger blushed and returned the compliment –Jiyong looked amazing, as always. They talked about the party for a while but then it was silent again and Seungri noticed that Jiyong got closer to him, dangerously close.</p><p>“I’m gonna be blunt,” Jiyong declared, licking his lips. “You’re sexy,” he kept talking as he approached more. In a few moments, the younger was against a wall, with Jiyong facing him, their bodies merely inches away. “And I don’t know what you’ve done to me but I like it,” he continued, now his hands slowly wrapping around the younger’s waist, pulling their bodies even closer. Seungri gasped softly.</p><p>“W-What are you doing?” Seungri asked, looking into Jiyong’s eyes. The latter brought one of his hands to the brunet’s cheeks, caressing it softly. Maybe it was the alcohol or the lingering feelings that he had for Jiyong, but Seungri felt absolutely comfortable in the hands of the elder.</p><p>“The day we won the swimming competition…” he talked slowly, in a very sexy tone. “…we were about to…” he stopped and looked at Seungri, licking his lips with desire. Seungri almost moaned. “Can we finish what we started?”</p><p>“Yes,” Seungri's response came immediately. He wanted this, he needed this.</p><p>Jiyong’s hand traveled down the younger’s neck and then back again to his jaw while Jiyong leaned slowly. And then the inevitable happened. Their lips met for the first time. It all started easily, each studying to moves of the other as their bodies merged and the hands that could not find their place so they roamed all over. Then, slightly, the lips began to open and move synchronously, leaving room for the kiss to become more passionate, deeper. The next touch on Seungri's lip was the tender caress of Jiyong’s tongue as it entered. His lips parted and he let Ji's demanding tongue touching his own. The elder totally took control, and Seungri let himself be controlled, sinking deeper into the kiss. A dance, a fiery tango full of passion began between the two fleshy tongues and sounds of pleasure could be heard from both of them as they explored their bodies with their hands. Jiyong probed deeper, determined to give Seungri a kiss he will never forget and the younger complied, moaning adorably all while running his hands through Jiyong's hair. The younger parted his legs as well, wrapping them tightly against Jiyong's waist and letting their bodies touch on a whole different level. The hold that Jiyong had on the younger's thighs proved how much he wanted Seungri like that, how much he longed for that.</p><p>The passionate kiss was abruptly interrupted due to lack of air, leaving the two panting and looking at each other with wide eyes.</p><p>"Wow," Jiyong said, smiling. They didn't stay apart for long because almost immediately, Jiyong started planting butterfly kisses all over Seungri's neck causing the younger to release the hottest moans. Then they kissed again and again, they couldn't get enough.</p><p>Meanwhile, outside, Chanyeol and Yongguk were looking for Jiyong as it was almost midnight, and the time to cut the cake was coming. Jiyong ordered a huge guitar-shaped cake and Chanyeol wanted to cut it in the presence of his two closest friends, his bros. The brunet was nowhere to be found and so the two began searching through the villa; Jiyong was also unable to contact since his phone was with Chaerin. The two opened multiple doors, but all they found were empty rooms, and then, they opened the room at the end of a hallway, catching the two kissing buddies in the act.</p><p>Yongguk’s eyes went wide as he faced the two shocked guys. No one really moved, they all just stared at each other. Jiyong bit his lip, not sure how to react, and then looked at Seungri who was beet red. Chanyeol was a bit taken aback but chuckled, he didn’t know why but he expected something like this.</p><p>“Uhm…we’re about to cut the cake…” Chanyeol said, still chuckling. “I’ll give you ten minutes to freshen up,” he continued, looking at the two.</p><p>“We’re sorry for disturbing you,” Yongguk added. “Please, continue…but be back in ten minutes, okay?” he said, then closed the door so his friend could have his much-needed privacy.</p><p>Yongguk and Chanyeol just looked at each other and chuckled and then returned to the party. On the other side of the door, Jiyong and Seungri were looking at each other too, both biting their lips. This was one of the hottest kisses they experienced, one that neither will forget anytime soon. Jiyong caressed his cheek one more time, they kissed briefly again, and then they parted, and shortly after, the two left the room, minutes apart.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Hello guys! </strong>
</p><p>
  <b>Do you like BaekYeol? Do you like JaeYong (Jaehyun and Taeyong)? Do you like reading Supernatural themed stories? </b>
</p><p>
  <b>If the answer is yes to at least one of the questions, than you're in luck because I have a new story that's kind of a revamp of a very old story I wrote ages ago with a friend of mine. I hope you check it out because you won't regret it, I think it's really interesting and that's not because I wrote it. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>So, without further ado, I present you </b>
  <strong><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30201765/chapters/74416845">Midnight Lovers</a>! Subscribe, read and comment!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Enjoy, comment and sorry for the shameless plug. </strong>
</p><hr/><p><strong>L</strong>ast night's party was definitely an epic one. The guests had a great time, fully enjoying all the pleasures offered by the organizers. The music was exactly to the taste of the teenagers, who had fun until dawn, celebrating their friend's coming of age. For some, the party was truly special, being the perfect opportunity to get closer to those they liked. The party was expected to be wild, after all, they were all teenagers full of hormones and indeed there were times when sparks were flying between certain individuals. Teens loved to mingle so this was not unexpected or something new, but it was true that last night left a few guys shocked by the events that unfolded.</p><p>In the end, the party was a total success and surely for a few weeks, everyone will talk about Chanyeol's fabulous birthday. Several reporters from teen magazines were also present, so articles and pictures about the glorious party immediately began to appear everywhere on various Social Media platforms.</p><p>Chanyeol definitely had a good time and partied as much as he could, drinking, dancing, and mingling with the guests. His adorable smile could be seen plastered on his face almost the entire time and he was as loud and excited as a teenager would be. He didn’t want to get too drunk and make a fool of himself but he definitely got tipsy from the several alcohol shots he took. Luckily, the night was spared of any alcohol-related scandal.</p><p>The biggest birthday gift he received was from his parents who sacrificed one of the many rooms of the villa and transformed it into a music studio, seeing how Chanyeol seemed to be interested in becoming a musician. The latter was definitely surprised and happy and already planned on dabbling with some tracks, maybe even record the song he and Baekhyun covered for the contest. His two best friends also surprised him with a costly gift, as they bought him an expensive watch and a few rings that he could wear as stylish accessories; he had to look good. On top of that, Jiyong covered the costs of the party while Yongguk paid for the music. Chanyeol was really happy he had such good friends, he really felt blessed.</p><p>It was about 12:30 PM when he woke up groaning as the sun rays peeked through the curtains and straight into his eyes. He yawned and stretched, looking around his room and seeing that Yongguk and Jiyong were still asleep, each sprawled on the mattresses that Chanyeol provided for them. He eventually got up and got out of the room, walking towards the kitchen in search of some much-needed coffee.</p><p>He turned on the espresso machine and waited until the hot liquid poured into his cup, smiling as its scent invaded his nostrils. He prepared more in case his friends want some and then he returned to his room carrying the pot and cups on a tray. It was good thinking since by the time he returned, Jiyong and Yongguk just woke up and were on their phones, scrolling lazily. The three had coffee mostly in silence, and when they made conversation it was about the magnificent party. Jiyong felt like there was a bit of tension between them, but it could’ve been just his imagination. He did some questionable things –and was caught- and they didn’t talk about it yet so that could be the reason Jiyong felt slightly awkward waking up.</p><p>After a light lunch, the three decided to start cleaning up the mess the party had caused. Chanyeol had a deal with his parents, that if they’re going to allow him to throw a massive party, he had his friends would have to clean after it so as the good teenager he was, he was honoring the deal. Still, he hoped that Jiyong hired a cleaning crew but it seemed that the latter had no such thing in mind.</p><p>The main room of the party was a mess. There were plastic cups everywhere, along with a lot of food that was dropped on the ground. Cans of soda and beer were also scattered chaotically around the room. It wasn’t a pretty sight but the three were determined to clean it quickly so they immediately grabbed some garbage bags and started working.</p><p>♦</p><p>Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, the unholy trinity was just waking up as well. Like a good host that he was, Himchan prepared coffee for the two sleepyheads that were still sprawled on his bed. This morning was undeniably slow and the three sat on the bed and enjoyed their coffee mostly in silence. Last night was definitely interesting for the three of them, but mostly for Seungri who shared very intimate moments with Jiyong. Now, recalling everything, he felt embarrassed and didn’t know if the kiss was just a heat of the moment thing or that there was something more to it. He knows he wanted this but did Jiyong feel the same or was he just too drunk to care who he is kissing? He was quite confused not knowing if he should contact Jiyong and ask what the hell happened. The kiss was sure intense and passionate and honestly all he ever wanted at that moment; Jiyong was one hell of a kiss and he was almost entirely sure that if they hadn’t been interrupted, something more would’ve happened.</p><p>“Ugh, my head hurts so much…” Baekhyun complained rubbing the temples of his head. “I shouldn’t have drunk that much…”</p><p>“Dude, you took one sip of vodka…” Himchan rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Not true, you personally fed me two shots of the most disgusting thing ever!”</p><p>“Rum is not gross, rum is really good!” Himchan said, chuckling. “And you seemed to like it, stop complaining.”</p><p>“I did not,” Baekhyun defended himself though he felt like blushing. He wasn’t fond of alcoholic drinks, no matter how much Himchan pushes them in front of him.</p><p>“Seungri and I are completely fine though we drank way more than you,” Himchan said with a serious tone, looking at the latter who had his head down, staring at the coffee cup in his hand as if the liquid hypnotized him. “Right, Seungri?”</p><p>“What?” Seungri looked up, confused.</p><p>“Are you hungover?”</p><p>“N-No, not really…” Seungri said, looking back at the coffee cup.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Himchan asked, immediately noticing something was up with his friend. “Did something happen at the party?” he asked again, now with a mischievous grin upon his face.</p><p>“I might’ve done something…” Seungri looked at his friends briefly, sighing. He was never one to hide stuff from them and he knew that they’ll find out, especially considering that Chanyeol and Yongguk caught them in the act so he saw no reason why he wouldn’t disclose everything that happened.  “I kissed Jiyong…” Baekhyun’s eyes widened three times and Himchan’s mouth fell agape and a visible gasp could be heard.</p><p>“Oh, My God!” Himchan exclaimed loudly. “How did it happen? How did it feel? Is he a good kisser? Spill the tea, my friend!” he kept asking questions, obviously happy and excited for Seungri.</p><p>Chuckling, Seungri told them what happened. He spoke slowly, unsure if he should describe the kiss –but he knew that Himchan most definitely wanted details. He told them what he felt, how Jiyong touched them, and even that they got caught. Himchan was definitely amused at the last part while Baekhyun licked his lips unconsciously, finding the whole ordeal oddly hot.</p><p>“Way to go baby! Go get your sugar daddy!” Himchan cheered happily.</p><p>“Do you think he meant it or was it just a heat of the moment thing?</p><p>“You two should definitely have a talk, but I think he really meant it,” Himchan smiled. “Oh, you two would make a really cute couple, and not to mention he’s rich…”</p><p>“I wouldn’t take advantage of him,” Seungri said, feeling himself blush at this moment.</p><p>“You wouldn’t, but Himchan definitely would,” Baekhyun said, causing Himchan to gasp as if he was attacked. Then, the three started laughing.</p><p>♦</p><p>It was silence at the Park residence as the three guys were cleaning and minding their own business. They were mostly silent and Jiyong felt the need to say something, get their opinion on what they saw. He was a mess when it came to his feelings but he knew he wanted to kiss Seungri from that day at Teen Fest. He liked him, as crazy as it sounds, he actually liked Seungri and he couldn’t help it being happy that the brunet answered his kiss immediately last night. Gosh, it was so intense, so hot, and if they weren’t interrupted, Jiyong was sure they wouldn’t have stopped just at kissing.</p><p>“Do you guys hate me?” Jiyong asked, breaking the crushing silence of the room.</p><p>“The only thing I hate you for is not hiring a cleaning crew for today,” Chanyeol said, carrying another full garbage bag out of the room.</p><p>“Why are you asking such a question?” Yongguk asked, sitting down on one of the couches, in order to relax a bit. His back was killing him.</p><p>“Last night…” Jiyong started and Yongguk only chuckled; the brunet was beet red already. “…with Seungri…”</p><p>“Oh, you want to talk about us interrupting your little make-out session?” Chanyeol teased, sitting on the couch as well, beside Jiyong so the latter was now sandwiched between the two. “Sorry for interrupting by the way,” the tall individual laughed.</p><p>“Yeah, you two seemed pretty heated,” Yongguk said with a soft smirk spreading on his lips. “Is this a new thing or have you two little devils experimented before?”</p><p>“It was our first kiss…” Jiyong was blushing heavily.</p><p>“Wow, a hell of a first kiss,” Chanyeol commented while Yongguk chuckled.</p><p>“Why would you think we hate you? Because you like a guy?” Yongguk asked and Jiyong slowly nodded. “Don’t be silly, I am sure we all experimented with guys. I kissed a lot of them; even brought some to bed so I don’t judge.”</p><p>“Me too,” Chanyeol said with a chuckle. “And I bet Seungri is not the first guy you kiss am I right?”</p><p>“Yes,” Jiyong blushed heavily.</p><p>“Are you serious about him?” Yongguk asked and Jiyong looked at him and shrugged, then nodded.</p><p>“I…I think so. I mean…I kept thinking about him, kissing him since Teen Fest, and now…I kind of want more. I don’t want to play him either so I’ll have to think things through before making a decision,” Jiyong said with a smile while the others nodded.</p><p>“How things changed,” Chanyeol laughed. “Two months ago you wanted to drown him and now you’re in love with him.”</p><p>“Thanks for reminding me how fucked up I am,” Jiyong said with a sigh. Yongguk smiled and got up, walking in the direction of the minibar. He picked up a bottle of strong vodka and three shot glasses before returning to the couch.</p><p>“To new beginnings!” Yongguk said, pouring vodka for his friends.</p><p>Glasses clinked. They drank. Jiyong wanted to go and kiss Seungri again…</p><p>♦</p><p>
  <b>“Hey. Are you home? Can I come to see you?” </b>
</p><p>Seungri was staring at the phone screen debating whether or not he would answer. His heart was beating like crazy, threatening to come out of his chest and he just couldn’t stop thinking about Jiyong’s hands on him, and those lips of his taking every bit of innocence that he had left. He sighed deeply before typing a reply.</p><p>
  <b>“Hey. Yes, you can come.”</b>
</p><p>About thirty minutes later, Jiyong’s white Bentley was parked on Seungri’s street, a few houses away from where the younger was staying. Seungri climbed into the car and they smiled at each other. Then, it was silence, that grueling silence that made both uncomfortable. There was tension in the air but neither of them opened their mouths.</p><p>“So…” Jiyong started, looking at Seungri for a few seconds before talking further. “…last night was interesting…”</p><p>“Yeah,” Seungri chuckled awkwardly.</p><p>“We were both quite tipsy…” Jiyong said and Seungri briefly looked down, not liking where this conversation was going. But then, Jiyong grabbed one of his hands and intertwined their fingers together, smiling towards the younger. Seungri looked at their linked hands and smiled as well. “…but I don’t want you to believe that I kissed you because of that. I actually had the idea in mind for a few days now…”</p><p>“Oh, I…” Seungri was blushing like mad. “…me too…kinda…”</p><p>Jiyong smiled. “As you might’ve guessed, I liked the kiss and if you’re interested too, we could maybe…go on a date or something…or we could try kissing some more and…” Jiyong stopped when he heard Seungri chuckle. “I’m bad at this, aren’t I?”</p><p>“I never thought you’d have trouble asking someone out,” Seungri laughed.</p><p>“Only when I like them a lot,” Jiyong said, being the smoothest flirter he ever was. Then, he stopped and looked at their joined hands again and took a deep breath. “Give me a week so I could sort things out because as you know I still have a girlfriend and I don’t want to play you, and then we can try dating or going out or…you know…” Jiyong was as red as a tomato and Seungri found him so cute.</p><p>“A week is a long time what if you change your mind, or maybe I change my mind and I won’t want you?” Seungri asked, chuckling. Jiyong looked at him with quite a panicked expression on his face. “Give me some assurance,” he asked, cheekily.</p><p>“What do you want?”</p><p>“Kiss me.”</p><p>He didn’t have to tell Jiyong twice because, in the next moment, Jiyong unbuckled his seatbelt and basically pounced on the younger, pinning him to the car seat and giving him the hottest kisses he experienced. They made out for more than half an hour, each getting more and more turned on to the point they had to stop because neither of them wanted the first time to be in a car on the side of the road. That night they parted and both went home very happy, smiling from cheek to cheek and hopeful that this was the beginning of a beautiful thing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>he most dreaded period of any school year was upon them; the period of the semester finals. The period was accurately called Fire Week, a full week full of tests, project submissions, and a lot of stress for Kwon Institute students. An elite school claimed elite results and the students gave everything they could to reach the top of the rankings. The ‘unholy trinity’ were good students, but even so, they were under a lot of stress. A good result meant better future opportunities and even though they still have a year until they graduate, they were all thinking of their future.</p><p>“Ji…I have to get to class…” Seungri half-complained, half moaned as the elder had his hands all over his upper body. Their lips clashed once again in a hungry kiss as their bodies were pulled closer once again. They couldn't get enough of each other, and even though they were in a stall in the boys' bathroom, the passion between them was burning hot.</p><p>“One more kiss,” Jiyong whispered between kisses before he clashed their lips once again. His hands were roaming all over the younger’s back, stopping at his ass which he grabbed hungrily, causing Seungri to moan into the kiss.</p><p>Finally, when the two ran out of air and were panting hard, they stopped and looked at each other, both smiling wide. Jiyong held his hands and smiled; he was genuinely happy, he hasn’t felt like this in a long while. Seungri was the first to get out of the stall, running towards his class, not even thinking about the Korean Literature test that was coming. Jiyong got out of the stall after a few moments as well, and went straight to the nearest mirror in order to fix his hair –Seungri disheveled it but he did not mind at all.</p><p>“Wow, you’re glowing,” Yongguk’s voice was heard followed by another familiar chuckle, Chanyeol’s. The two were by the door, smiling.</p><p>“How can he not, the two lovebirds spent ten minutes making out in the toilet,” Chanyeol said with a laugh.</p><p>“And you listened to us? Pervert!” Jiyong retorted, turning to his friends.</p><p>“It wasn’t hard to hear, you’re quite loud,” Yongguk laughed. “It seems that you two are really serious about each other,” he continued.</p><p>“I like him a lot…” Jiyong just blushed.</p><p>“Did you break up with Chaerin yet?” Chanyeol asked. “Or are you going to double-dip and hope for the best?”</p><p>“I’d never to that,” Jiyong defended himself. “Chaerin and I are meeting today after school.”</p><p>“God bless you, then,” Yongguk said with a chuckle. “I doubt there’ll be a peaceful breakup between you two.”</p><p>“I don’t care, I’ve made up my mind,” Jiyong said with a smile. He then grabbed the bag and headed towards the next class together with his best friends.</p><p>♦</p><p>Chanyeol did not know what was in his head when he chose to study chemistry at the beginning of the semester; it was a colossal mistake he hopes not to repeat. He didn't hate chemistry, on the contrary, the subject was quite interesting but he just didn't get it in his head, no matter how hard he tried to learn. He never excelled in school, but he still wanted a decent grade in chemistry, otherwise, he won't hear the end of it from his parents. He dreaded this exam.</p><p>However, there was a silver lining to this, his lab partner Baekhyun. The latter was a godsend when it came to chemical formulas and the projects together have always been interesting. Baekhyun liked chemistry and seemed to learn everything easier, and Chanyeol was amazed every time small experiments in the classroom were successful. Although the beginnings of their partnership were less pleasant and the two did not understand each other at all, they became good friends and laboratory partners.</p><p>Chanyeol liked Baekhyun, perhaps more than he wanted to admit; he found the young church boy fascinating in his way of thinking and so cute, especially the way he grimaced when he focused intensely. Working together on TeenFest, talking, and singing brought them closer and Chanyeol discovered that the loudmouth sassy church boy was a genuinely good person and very fun to be around. The two were at their little desks, discussing things in general, especially about the many exams they had in the days to come. Both boys were stressed, but Chanyeol seemed absolutely terrified by this exam. Not long after, the teacher entered the class, announcing in a serious voice that the test will have two parts, one written and one practical, and the final grade will be the average of the two grades. Then, with the same typical seriousness, he divided the topics and Chanyeol looked at the paper and everything seemed Mandarin to him.</p><p>Chanyeol focused each neuron on the test in front of him, but even that couldn't make him remember what he had studied for an entire semester. He solved some of the exercises but did not seem sure of anything and next to him Baekhyun wrote continuously, being very focused. Chanyeol smiled, Baekhyun was cute when he focused like that. He stepped on his pride and slowly, without making any noise, poked Baekhyun, getting his attention.</p><p>“Can you help me?” he whispered.</p><p>Baekhyun didn’t want to, but the cute smile and puppy-dog eyes that Chanyeol was making towards him convinced him in less than 30 seconds; he just couldn’t resist Chanyeol. The smaller male quickly switched their papers and began working on Chanyeol’s exam while the elder was looking at him and smiling. He was so grateful that Baekhyun was in his life, and that they got along.</p><p>Half an hour later the written part of the exam ended and the practical one began where each pair had to successfully complete a small experiment. It wasn’t an easy task but they immediately got to work, each doing their own things –under Baekhyun’s guidance of course. Chanyeol was a good boy and was listening well, doing his best for the experiment to work, after all, it was half of his grade and he couldn’t mess up.</p><p>“Hurry, put two drops of acid into the solution,” Baekhyun said with a serious tone.</p><p>“You sure are impatient,” Chanyeol chuckled.</p><p>“I want this done quickly.”</p><p>“Art takes time and so does chemistry,” Chanyeol said, doing what the younger told him earlier. He could hear Baekhyun laugh and it was the sweetest thing in the world.</p><p>They were the first to be done with the experiment and the teacher seemed pleased enough; the geezer even smiled and surprised Chanyeol. As they got out of the class, Chanyeol surprised Baekhyun with a very tight hug, then as Baekhyun was caught off-guard, the taller male spun him around. Baekhyun felt so little in his arms, but he couldn’t deny he felt very good, he felt like home.</p><p>“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Chanyeol said cheerfully as he finally put the smaller male back down. Baekhyun was a blushing mess, his heart beating so very fast. “What can I do for you? How should I repay you? I’ll do anything for you!”</p><p>“Really?” Baekhyun asked, still blushing madly. Chanyeol could see it and he chuckled, finding Baekhyun extremely cute. Okay, so he had a small crush on the younger but could you blame him?</p><p>“Anything! You name it and I’ll do it for you!”</p><p>“I’ll think about it,” Baekhyun said with a smile.</p><p>“Please let me know, you saved my ass!”</p><p>“Next time make sure to study,” Baekhyun playfully scolded him.</p><p>“Next time I won’t choose Chemistry as a subject,” the elder laughed in his booming deep voice that sent shivers down Baekhyun’s spine. The younger laughed as well.</p><p>The two walked together for a while, talking and laughing, before parting, but not before Chanyeol reminded Baekhyun that he’d do anything for him. A naughty thought went through the younger’s mind but he quickly dismissed it; he thought of asking Chanyeol for another hug…or something more. He blushed again, just thinking about it.</p><p>♦</p><p>English literature was a pain in the ass and everyone taking the class dreaded its exam. Himchan picked the class because it was interesting and he wanted to expand his knowledge; he also loved Shakespeare, but he never expected everything to be that hard. Yongguk took this class too, thinking it will be easy but boy was he wrong. The class was horrendous and very complicated so naturally, the two dreaded today’s exam. The only good thing about this class was that they sat together and most of the time they helped each other.</p><p>It is rare for Yongguk not to study for an exam. He always wanted good grades so he tried to memorize as many of his notes as possible. He liked to study and know more about the world around him and his fantastic memory helped him every time. He wasn't a nerd; he was a cool guy who had good grades without trying too hard. Today, however, was an exception.</p><p>He tried to study for the English Literature test, but the courses were so long and complicated that he was disgusted every time he thought about it. He knew that this subject would be the one that would pull his average down, but honestly, he didn't care.</p><p>Last night, when he had to study, he started painting instead and his art kept him company until after midnight when he finished. It was much more fun to paint than to study, he thought, but in retrospect, he came to the conclusion that that was a very bad idea.</p><p><em>Screw you, Beowulf! Screw you English Literature,</em> he thought as he read the exam subjects. Five minutes passed already and his paper was blank, and he had no idea what he should write. He sighed deeply and placed his head on the desk, hating his life. Then, he looked around the class as everyone seemed to be writing; <em>am I the only one who didn’t study? </em>he thought while sighing again. His eyes then landed on his desk-mate Himchan who seemed very focused and the test and by the looks of it, he was knowing more than he did.</p><p>“Psst, Chan!” Yongguk whispered. No answer, Himchan wasn’t even looking at him. “Channie!” he tried again but Himchan wasn’t hearing him, or he was ignoring him.</p><p>The truth was that Himchan was in his own world, lost between information and determined to write as much as he remembered. Beowulf was not an easy subject so his concentration was at the maximum level, blocking everything around him. Yongguk got frustrated, thinking that the younger was ignoring him on purpose so he decided to take a more drastic approach.</p><p>Himchan almost yelped when Yongguk’s big hand landed on his thigh, massaging it slowly. The younger’s eyes widened and his head turned towards the elder, “what the fuck?” he mouthed with a panicked expression –he felt himself blushing already. Yongguk on the other hand just smiled adorably.</p><p>“You were ignoring me…” Yongguk whispered, still touching the younger’s thigh.</p><p>“I was writing,” Himchan whispered back, glaring at the elder. “What do you want?”</p><p>“Can you help me? I can’t remember anything! I barely studied…” Yongguk admitted and as much as Himchan wanted to say no, the big gummy smile –and the hand on his thigh- managed to convince him.</p><p>“Uhm…sure…”</p><p>They quickly swapped papers without the teacher noticing and Himchan started helping his dear friend. As he was writing, he noticed something, actually, he noticed two things: Yongguk’s hand was still on his thigh and he was enjoying it. He sighed deeply and brought his free hand under the desk, grabbing Yongguk’s hand slowly. “You’re still touching me,” he whispered, not even looking at Yongguk but he felt his smirk.</p><p>“You don’t seem to mind very much,” Yongguk replied in his characteristic deep voice. “Or, does it bother you?” he asked, now massaging his hand deeper into the younger’s thigh. Himchan was all red and shaking already.</p><p>“Stop it or else you’ll get an F,” Himchan glared at his friend –and crush- and then went back to writing.</p><p>Yongguk slowly retracted his hand slowly –he actually liked teasing Himchan like that- and waited patiently for his colleague to finish writing. He suspected that Himchan might like him after the multiple incidents where the younger blushed and this just proved his theory. He was happy because in the recent weeks he developed a few feelings for the younger as well. Yes, Himchan was hot and smart, a killer combo and on top of that he was funny and so fun to talk to; Yongguk just couldn’t resist.</p><p>The rest of the hour went without any incidents and Himchan successfully managed to help Yongguk enough so he wouldn’t fail the class. As the test ended, Himchan wanted to rush outside but was grabbed in one of Yongguk’s bro hugs and there was no escaping that.</p><p>“How could I repay you? You saved my ass,” Yongguk said with a gleaming smile.</p><p>“Next time try not to give me a heart attack with sudden touches,” Himchan chuckled, trying to be cool about this but he was already sweating.</p><p>“I know you enjoyed it,” Yongguk said as Himchan nervously chuckled.</p><p>“Shut up, you pervert,” Himchan said as he escaped the hug. “See you later,” Himchan grinned as he headed towards the nearest bathroom. Yongguk only chuckled as he watched those meaty thighs and gorgeous ass walk away from him.</p><p>♦</p><p>“Why did you call me so urgently? I was in the middle of a photoshoot,” Chaerin said, as she entered the big living room where Jiyong was waiting for her. The latter was on a couch, with a serious expression on his face but he smiled as he saw her. She sat in front of him, on an armchair, and looked at him with a curious look, like she knew something was off.</p><p>“What were you shooting for?”</p><p>“<em>Allure Teen</em>, they want me for a special edition,” she smiled. “So? What was so urgent that you couldn’t tell me on the phone?”</p><p>“Well,” he sighed. Break-ups weren’t easy, especially when you dealt with a volcano-of-a-girl like Chaerin was. He knew she won’t take it well but he needed to do this. “First of all, thank you for your time, your dedication, and your love throughout these months but I think our love story is over. I’m sorry, I truly loved you but things changed and I think I should focus on something else for now. It’s not your fault, it’s me who’s messed up and you know it better than anyone. I’m sorry Chae, but I don’t love you anymore and you deserve someone to love you…” Jiyong said with a serious tone.</p><p>She laughed. “You totally got me at first,” she continued laughing, looking at him. “Where are the cameras? Or is it a prank-you-girlfriend day?” she chuckled.</p><p>“I’m serious, Chae.”</p><p>“You’re not seriously doing this,” she said, her expression turning serious as she realized that Jiyong wasn’t pranking her. “You’re not doing this!”</p><p>“I am, Chaerin. Look, you’re awesome and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me but I just don’t feel like this is going anywhere and I don’t need a relationship right now…”</p><p>“Oh my God, you’re breaking up with me?” she said, now in a higher tone. “No one breaks up with me!”</p><p>“I am, I am breaking up with you,” Jiyong said in a calm tone.</p><p>“You’re unbelievable!” she yelled. “After everything we’ve been through? I supported you, I stood by you when your fucking sister died and this is how you repay me? By breaking up with me?” she was yelling while Jiyong stood there, listening to everything she was saying. “I tried to be the best girlfriend and look where it got me being dumped by you! You miserable piece of shit! I’ve done so much for you and this is how you treat me?”</p><p>“Calm down, Chaerin,” Jiyong said in a calm tone. “I’m not in love with you anymore, I am sorry,” he continued, tears in his eyes because he did feel guilty by doing this but he didn’t want to be in a relationship that didn’t satisfy him emotionally.</p><p>“Who’s the whore? Who’s the one that you’re cheating on me with?”</p><p>“There is no one,” Jiyong lied. He couldn’t tell her that a guy captured his attention; she would destroy poor Seungri. “Please understand, that I do not love you anymore.”</p><p>“Bullshit! I can’t believe I did so much for your sorry ass!” she paused just to throw him a spiteful glare. “It’s my fault, I fed your ego too much and now you’re under the impression you’re the fucking king of the world! Newsflash, Kwon Jiyong, you’re not! You’re not even good in bed…”</p><p>“Is that why you were moaning so loudly?” Jiyong retorted, glaring at her. She was already going too low for his liking.</p><p>“You’re going to pay!” she yelled as she took her purse in her hand, ready to leave. “You’re going to fucking pay for everything!”</p><p>She stormed off and Jiyong sighed deeply, looking down. He didn’t want everything to be this messy but with Chaerin it’s always like that. He wiped the tears that were now pouring on his cheeks and sighed again, feeling sorry for hurting her. The main reason wasn’t only Seungri, of course, the boy played a big role but Jiyong spoke the truth, he just wasn’t feeling anything when it came to Chaerin anymore. He fell out of love with her, it happens and she had to understand that.</p><p>A few moments later his phone started buzzing as Chaerin posted about their break-up on Instagram in a very spiteful way. To Jiyong this was low but he could go lower so he typed in the perfect response before he unfollowed her.</p><p>
  
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<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>N</strong>ews of the break-up of the Jiyong-Chaerin power couple spread like wildfire on Social Media and by daylight, everyone knew about this. It wasn’t the prettiest break-up either. Chaerin was obviously angry and decided to pour out her frustrations on social media, posting a bunch of degrading stuff about Jiyong. She was determined to make Jiyong suffer for breaking up with her.</p><p>To those who didn’t know them too well, their relationship seemed to be perfect so the shock was totally understandable. The two seemed like the perfect couple and many speculated and hoped that they’d be together for a very long time; even Jiyong believed that at some point. However, over time things changed and the love and mutual support started fading; the relationship was degrading rapidly. When Dami died, Jiyong was stuck with a deep dark depression but instead of helping him, she distanced herself from him. Then, when Jiyong actually got better, she claimed she was the one who healed him with her love and affection.</p><p>Jiyong loved her, there was no doubt about this. He put up with a lot of her tantrums and helped her in any way that he could but she just didn’t return his feelings anymore. She cared more about her likes and comments than her relationship. Nowadays they would just attend an event just to be there so she could post pictures on her social media, not to have fun as most couples would.  </p><p>Jiyong often blamed himself for falling out of love with her but that was not what he wanted, not what he thought a relationship would be. He put up with her for a long time, even talked to her about her rude behavior towards everyone but she didn’t change at all, in fact, he saw that everything became worse. He wanted to do this for a while but he didn’t have any strong motive to break up with her. The kiss he shared with Seungri at the party seemed like a sign from the Universe about the path he should take, no matter how many people he’ll piss off.</p><p>“Why is everyone staring at me like that?” Jiyong asked as he and his two best friends were walking down the school hallways heading towards their lockers.</p><p>Jiyong was used to people looking at him but those glances weren’t the ones he usually got but instead nasty ones, full of spite. He didn’t mind them too much and tried to ignore them as much as possible.</p><p>“Dude, you’re all over social media,” Chanyeol laughed. “Chaerin’s recent updates are all about you and the mean things you did. She’s really pissed.”</p><p>“She’s overreacting like always,” Jiyong rolled his eyes.</p><p>“And she’s very immature as well. I, for one, applaud your decision and think you did the right thing; she wasn’t right for you,” Yongguk said with a smile.</p><p>“Are you serious about the whole Seungri thing? Do you like him?” Chanyeol asked curiously. They just arrived at the lockers and they were getting their books out.</p><p>“Did you not see me make out with him everywhere? Of course, I like him,” Jiyong said with a smile. “But I think it’s better for us to wait a while, to let this whole fiasco settle down, I don’t want to hurt him.”</p><p>“I’m happy for you,” Chanyeol smiled as well. “So, are we going to finally set a date for the ski trip?”</p><p>As the winners of Teen Fest, the guys were awarded an all-expense-paid three-day trip to one of Korea’s most prestigious mountain resorts, courtesy of Mr. Kwon’s generosity and for weeks they were trying to decide the best period to go. Due to the recent events, they couldn’t really plan anything but as the semester was ending, it seemed like the perfect time to unwind and relax.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s all meet in the cafeteria at lunchtime and we’ll discuss the details. Tell the boys to be there,” Jiyong said as he was preparing to head to class.</p><p>“See you there,” Yongguk said as he too quickly grabbed his books and left.</p><p>♦</p><p>At lunchtime, as scheduled everyone was gathered around a big table in the cafeteria. They were all busy with studying and exams and the prospect of a little relaxation was sounding very good at the moment. The conversation was a light one, they laughed and chatted freely as they planned this.</p><p>“Next weekend sounds good,” Hyunwoo said with a smile.</p><p>“Yes, it also looks like it will snow in the mountains,” Hyunggu added with a long smile.</p><p>“It’s my birthday next Saturday,” Seungri said with a smile. “We can all party there.”</p><p>“Sounds like a plan,” Jiyong smiled widely as he looked towards Seungri. He didn’t know about the younger’s birthday and now all kinds of things were rushing through his mind; he will make his birthday really special. “Does everyone agree?”</p><p>“Yes!” came the cheerful reply of the others.</p><p>Baekhyun was oddly silent and mostly looked down during the whole lunch and talk and Chanyeol noticed that how could he not when he sat down next to him. When the lunch was over, Baekhyun got up and started heading to class but Chanyeol quickly went after him.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Chanyeol asked with a voice full of concern, startling the younger who seemed to be very lost in his thoughts.</p><p>“Y-Yeah, just thinking…” Baekhyun said with a soft smile on his face.</p><p>“Are you excited about the trip? I was there once before and it’s a really beautiful place.”</p><p>“I might not be able to come,” Baekhyun said, looking down.</p><p>“Why? Is it because of the date? Why didn’t you say anything? We can reschedule…”</p><p>“No, it’s not about the date, it’s…personal…” Baekhyun said, sketching a smile. He really looked sad and Chanyeol was concerned.</p><p>“I hope you can come, it won’t be as much fun without you,” Chanyeol said with a smile. “And you deserve to be there, you worked hard and killed the competition,” he added. For some reason, he hated to see Baekhyun like this and wanted to punch whatever/whoever made him feel this way.</p><p>“I’ll try,” Baekhyun smiled and felt like blushing again. Why is it happening only when Chanyeol was around was a mystery to him.</p><p>“I wanted to talk to you about something,” Chanyeol grinned. “We both have that insane calculus quiz tomorrow and it’s no surprise that I suck at anything math-related. I tried studying but nothing seems to stick so I thought you could tutor me today so I won’t fail tomorrow. You don’t have to if you don’t want to but I’d appreciate it…”</p><p>“Uhm…we can meet after school. I am not the best at it and still have problems of my own but maybe two brains are better than one.”</p><p>“One brain and a half, I really suck at math,” Chanyeol laughed, causing Baekhyun to chuckle as well. “Meet me after school at my place and we’ll see what we can do. Thank you!”</p><p>“Don’t thank me yet, I might suck as well,” Baekhyun chuckled.</p><p>Three hours later, Baekhyun headed home immediately. He dreaded being home these days and at every chance that he had, he preferred going out. The reason was simple, it was his father. Money was tight, tighter than ever at this point as the Church had to undergo some construction work and the donations were sparse. They had to cover their costs from their own money and unfortunately being a priest wasn’t as rewarding financially as it was for the soul. Fights were constant between the parents and their rage was often directed towards poor Baekhyun.</p><p>Today however things seemed to be quite calm around the house and food was already on the table by the time the teenager arrived. He sat down and started eating in peace, he was quite hungry. As he was eating, his mother was asking about school while his father was silent and looked at him from time to time.</p><p>“Are you going to practice with the choir today?” the father asked with his stern voice.</p><p>“No, I am going to help a friend with math,” Baekhyun answered and saw that his father got angry immediately.</p><p>“You’re neglecting your duties once again.”</p><p>“I’m sorry but you’re the one who said my academic work comes first,” Baekhyun said with a serious voice, looking at his father. Even though he was scared of the man, he didn’t want to back down.</p><p>“Fine, but you have to help me with construction this weekend and the next one,” his father said again in that serious tone.</p><p>“I can help you this weekend, but not on the next one, the guys and I are going to the mountains, to the resort vacation we won as a prize,” Baekhyun replied and saw that the man was glaring at him.</p><p>“Don’t you care about me or the Church at all?” his father said with an angry tone. “You’re not going to that place!”</p><p>“B-But I earned it…” Baekhyun said in a soft tone, looking at his father with pleading eyes.</p><p>“God gave you that voice to sing for the Church, not make a fool out of yourself on stage!” his father started shouting, surprising Baekhyun. He was trembling already but tried keeping his composure. “You’re not going!”</p><p>“I am going!” Baekhyun said in a very stern tone as he got up from the table; he lost every bit of appetite he had. “I did not make a fool out of myself; instead I did a very good job and you should be proud of me! I work my ass off so I can have good results in school and I help you as much as I can but you never supported me! I earned that vacation and I am going!”</p><p>As soon as Baekhyun’s words left his mouth, his father retaliated in the worst way by slapping his boy across the cheek very hard. The room fell silent immediately, everyone –especially Baekhyun’s mother who absolutely froze- just stood still for a moment. It wasn’t the first time Baekhyun was hit but this slap seemed to hurt more than ever. Tears began pouring out of the teenager’s eyes immediately and without a word he left the kitchen. He went to his room, picked up his math notes and book, and in less than ten minutes he was out the door; the arguments resumed and his heart ached more than ever.</p><p>He stopped crying by the time he arrived at the Park villa but the pain he was feeling was evident behind his smile. He went straight for the bathroom, washing his face immediately trying to hide the fact that he cried but Chanyeol could see it already on his puffy eyes. His cheeks were red as well and the elder was curious what had happened to bring Baekhyun in such a disheveled state.</p><p>Chanyeol asked, but Baekhyun denied that anything bad happened and the elder didn’t push it too much. Finally, in one of their breaks Chanyeol insisted and Baekhyun finally broke down, crying as he was telling Chanyeol about his father, the money needed for the Church, and the resort issue. Chanyeol listened, and hugged his crying friend close to his chest, not caring at all about the fact that Baekhyun was wetting his shirt right now. Eventually, Baekhyun calmed down and they resumed their studies but Chanyeol just couldn’t get the younger’s story out of his mind. He hated seeing him like that and he didn’t know why but had the sudden urge to hug him and make him smile forever. He was even thinking of ways to do that.</p><p>♦</p><p>Jiyong arrived home from school more exhausted than ever. This exam week was kicking his ass and the added stress of this whole Chaerin thing wasn’t helping at all. He really didn’t need this, but of course, he couldn’t reason with her; he was the villain in every version of her story. Sometimes he wished he wasn’t popular, because he could live a private life without anyone butting in and giving him unsolicited opinions about how to live his life. He didn’t love her anymore, and the feelings were mutual; it’s not like Chaerin was madly in love with him…she just wanted revenge because she wasn’t the one breaking off the relationship.</p><p>He really wanted to eat something, take a nap and relax today; he even shut off his phone so no one would call him and ask about his relationship. As soon as he stepped inside the mansion, one of the maids came towards him and announced that his father wanted to see him urgently. Jiyong rolled his eyes, wondering what he wanted.</p><p>“You wanted to see me?” Jiyong said as he entered his father’s office.</p><p>“Yes,” his father replied dryly. He invited Jiyong to sit across from him, on the leather chair and the younger obliged. “Chaerin’s father called earlier. He pulled out from a very important business arrangement that the two of us had claiming that he doesn’t want anything to do with you and me anymore after what you did to his daughter. Care to explain?” he asked and could see that the teenager was glaring at him already.</p><p>“I broke up with her,” Jiyong said nonchalantly. “So what?”</p><p>“Why? I thought you two got along pretty well; you went to a party together a few weeks ago.”</p><p>“I don’t love her anymore, there’s no point in being with someone if you don’t love them…”</p><p>“Mr. Lee is very influential and his partnership is important to me and to our business,” Mr. Kwon said with a serious tone.</p><p>“Of course,” Jiyong scoffed. “I forgot that everything is business with you. That’s why you didn’t let Dami date that poor guy, he wasn’t of any profit to you, am I right?” Jiyong said with a very serious tone.</p><p>“Don’t bring her into this…”</p><p>“Why? She chose happiness and love over your money and she disappeared; kind of convenient if you think…” Jiyong said, not letting his guard down for one moment. “We both fell out of love and I broke up with her. Simple.”</p><p>“It’s not that simple in business, son.”</p><p>“My personal life and my happiness are not your business.”</p><p>“It is as long as you’re living under my roof!” Mr. Kwon said angrily, raising his voice at Jiyong.</p><p>“Okay then, let’s get personal,” Jiyong glared at his father. “Does mom know that you groped every twenty-something bimbo at the Christmas party last year? Or that your sweet secretary unbuttons her shirt every time she enterers your office? Oh, and if we’re on that topic, let’s mention that you disappeared for a day during our vacation last year, where were you? Who were you with?”</p><p>“Enough!” Mr. Kwon shouted slamming his fist to the desk in anger; his eyes were gleaming with rage while Jiyong just chucked. “You have no right to say that to me!”</p><p>“And you have no right to interrogate me about my love life,” Jiyong said, getting up from the chair and heading towards the door. He then stopped and turned back, “oh, and if you’re that interested in my wellbeing, call Mr. Lee and tell him that his dear sweet Chaerin is harassing me on social media since yesterday and if she doesn’t stop, I might consider suing her. We all know you don’t go to court with the Kwons. Have a nice day, father!”</p><p>With that, Jiyong exited the office and headed towards his room. He ordered some food, put on his headphones, and started blasting music while he was playing on his PlayStation. A few hours later when even the games got boring, he finally turned on his phone and was pleasantly surprised to discover that Chaerin deleted every incriminating post she wrote about him and she announced she was taking a break from any activity. He sure hoped this fiasco was over, his head was already hurting.</p><p>Sighing, he called Seungri and the two talked for almost one hour on the phone, just chatting about everything that came to their mind. The younger deliberately avoided the Chaerin subject and Jiyong never opened it either, they talked, flirted, and arranged to see each other first thing in the morning. Jiyong already felt better.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello? <br/>This happened while watching too many episodes of Elite, being quarantined and horny lol<br/>hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think and whether or not I should continue this.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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